Khamenei Death Confirmed As US And Israel Strike Iran Arabian Post

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post) Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

State television in Tehran has confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after a large-scale military offensive by the United States and Israel that struck multiple targets across Iran's territory. The announcement marked a dramatic turn in the months-long escalation between Tehran and its adversaries, unfolding as Iranian officials declared a period of national mourning and vowed to continue counter-attacks against what they called“aggression”.

Iran's state broadcast said Khamenei, 86, was killed during air and missile strikes that hit his compound and other strategic sites in the heart of the capital. Officials described him as a symbol of national resistance and framed his death as martyrdom, ordering 40 days of official mourning and a seven-day closure of government offices.

The offensive, coordinated between Washington and Jerusalem, was presented by U. S. President Donald Trump as a decisive blow to Iran's power structures. Trump posted on social media that Khamenei was among those eliminated in the strikes and urged citizens within Iran to“take back your country” from clerical rule. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in a recorded message, said the operations would continue until key threats in the region were neutralised.

The joint campaign, named Operation Epic Fury by U. S. military planners and Roaring Lion by Israeli forces, targeted what commanders described as critical defence installations, missile launch sites and command centres across at least 24 of Iran's provinces. Iranian authorities reported scores of casualties, including the deaths of civilians during the bombardment of urban areas and infrastructure, drawing international alarm.

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Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite force that functions as both a military and political arm of the state, responded by launching waves of missile and drone attacks against Israeli cities and American military positions in the Gulf region. The U. S. Central Command said its forces successfully intercepted many of the incoming Iranian strikes and that there were no American deaths or serious injuries reported so far in the confrontation.

Within Iran, the impact of the strikes sparked both grief and fear. Television footage and social media posts showed supporters of the regime mourning in Tehran and other cities, waving black flags and chanting slogans for unity. At the same time, analysts warned that the removal of Khamenei - a figure who had dominated Iranian politics since 1989 - could destabilise the country's internal power balances.

The interim leadership of the Islamic Republic has been assumed by a council including President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials, while the Assembly of Experts is expected to convene to select a permanent successor. The prominent political figure Ali Larijani has been mentioned as a possible candidate to influence the transition, though the path forward remains uncertain amid heightened tensions.

International reaction to the events has been sharply divided. Several governments condemned the strikes as violations of sovereignty and warned of wider conflict, urging restraint and diplomatic engagement. Other states, notably those aligned with Washington and Jerusalem, voiced support for actions they said were necessary to counter what they regard as Iran's destabilising influences in the Middle East.

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Violence has spilled beyond Iran's borders, with reports of Iranian missiles causing casualties and damage in neighbouring countries hosting U. S. bases or allied infrastructure. Gulf airspace disruptions and temporary closures at airports added to the economic and civilian impact of the confrontation, raising questions about long-term regional stability and the prospects for escalation.

Within hard-line political circles in Tehran, some officials labelled the strikes a“crime against humanity” and pledged that Iran's retaliation would persist until perceived grievances were addressed. Outside Iran, protests and public condemnations have erupted in several capitals, reflecting the polarised global response to the campaign.

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