A sudden escalation in the Middle East left the region on edge after US and Israeli air strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, sparking widespread retaliation, international alarm and frantic calls for de‑escalation.
What happened
– Iranian state media and military sources said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, died hours after what US and Israeli officials described as a coordinated air campaign aimed at Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure. Israel’s military characterized the operation as large‑scale and air force‑led.
– Iranian television later reported that top commanders, including Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi and Defence Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, were killed in strikes on a Defence Council meeting. Other senior military and security figures were also reported dead; independent verification remained limited amid chaotic reports.
– The United States and Israel said they coordinated the operations. Israeli military leaders claimed strikes hit ‘hundreds of targets’ across Iran, while Iranian authorities vowed retaliation and announced a temporary leadership council. Iran’s top security official accused the US and Israel of seeking to fragment the country and warned secessionist groups against exploiting the situation.
Retaliation and regional fighting
– Iran reportedly launched missile and drone strikes at targets in Israel and several Gulf Arab states. Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain said they intercepted incoming missile salvos. The UAE said it intercepted missiles and drones; officials reported at least one dead and multiple wounded after intercepting attacks, including incidents that involved an airport.
– Loud explosions were heard over Dubai and Doha for a second day, witnesses said. Iran reported explosions in Tehran as Israel said its strikes were aimed at Iran’s missile and air‑defence capabilities and at locations in the capital.
– Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pledged what it called its most intense offensive, promising strikes on Israeli and American bases.
Global reactions and diplomatic fallout
– World leaders, international institutions and religious figures urged restraint and a return to diplomacy to prevent a wider war. The European Commission said Khamenei’s death might create ‘renewed hope’ for Iranians but warned of serious instability risks. The pope called for a halt to the spiral of violence and for moral responsibility instead of threats.
– Russia condemned the killing, calling it a cynical act and a breach of international law. China urged an immediate ceasefire and a return to negotiations, while North Korea denounced the strikes as illegal aggression.
– US leadership publicly warned Iran against further escalation; President Donald Trump posted that the US would respond with unprecedented force if Iran retaliated. Tehran’s leaders, in turn, vowed retaliation and described the killings as a grievous crime that would not go unanswered.
Local impacts and disruptions
– Protests and unrest spread across the region, with demonstrators attacking diplomatic sites and crowds gathering near embassies. Pakistani police used tear gas to disperse crowds in Karachi after demonstrators breached the outer wall of the US consulate. Videos showed attacks on UN offices in parts of Pakistan.
– Air travel and education were affected: Pakistan suspended dozens of flights to the Middle East, and the Central Board of Secondary Education postponed exams across several Gulf countries and Iran, citing the unstable situation.
Outlook
The situation remains fluid with conflicting reports and fast‑moving developments. World leaders continued to call for de‑escalation even as military actions and retaliatory threats unfolded across Iran, the Gulf and beyond, raising fears of a wider, destabilizing confrontation.
