Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in an attack by Israel and the United States, Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday.
This throws the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and raising the risk of regional instability, according to AP News.
State media reported that Khamenei was killed in an airstrike targeting the supreme leader’s compound in downtown Tehran. Israeli military have stated that top Iranian security officials were also killed, including the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps and the secretary of the Iranian Security Council, a close adviser to Khamenei, according to National Public Radio.
President Donald Trump has dubbed this attack as “Operation Epic Fury” in a recent news conference, announcing the death of Khamenei hours earlier.
“I call upon all Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom, to seize this moment, to be brave, be bold, be heroic, and take back your country,” Trump said. “America is with you.”
He expressed how long-term American security requires the U.S to meet the challenges of present time with clarity and strength and voiced how proactive measures are essential to dismantle the threat posed by radical regimes seeking nuclear capabilities. The U.S. justified the assault as necessary to disable the country’s nuclear capabilities, according to AP News.
U.S. airstrikes resulted in in the death of at least 153 people, including children, after a report of an airstrike hitting a school in southern Iran, according to BBC News.
“The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm,” U.S. military’s Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins said, according to BBC News.
Iran threatened retaliation after launching its own counterattack in response to the strikes, with the Cabinet declaring that this “great crime will never go unanswered.” The Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary group, promised to strike American and Israeli bases with its “most intense offensive operation” yet, as stated by AP News.
The Israeli Air Force has responded by carrying out a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital Tehran, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Iran has been launching waves of strikes in the Middle East in hopes to “stab” America in the heart, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council vowed, following the attacks that killed Khamenei, according to CNN.
Retribution attacks have already interfered with international air transport and oil trade. Trump warned Iran against retaliatory strikes, stating they would be met with strong force from the US if they continue to do so, adding that the airstrikes would continue with throughout the week.
Iran has launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. military bases, Israel and other targets across the region. A significant ballistic missile strike reached the heart of Tel Aviv, causing severe damage and leaving the city in a state of emergency. This marks the deadliest and most destructive Iranian missile offensive since the outbreak of hostilities between Iran, Israel and the U.S. this past Saturday, according to CNN.
Iran has also attacked the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain with a missile attack, a U.S. official said, describing it as an “active situation.” The base is home to the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, stated by Kevin Liptak, a senior reporter at CNN.
Trump stated that the U.S-Israeli war on Iran is the “last best chance” to eliminate what is described as escalating threats from Iran’s ballistic and nuclear programs. Speaking at a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House, he stated, “the operation is expected to last four to five weeks, but have capabilities to go longer,” according to CBS News.