US and Israel Launch Major Combat Operations Against Iran
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in Tehran compound strike as regional retaliations ignite
Image: Matt Weston / AI
Carla Rooney
Joint military forces from the United States and Israel initiated a massive aerial assault on Iran on Saturday morning, resulting in the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the strike killed Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild. Four additional relatives and two high-ranking commanders died in the high-explosive bombardment.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported the elimination of 40 Iranian commanders within a sixty-second window. The dead include Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Iranian armed forces, and the sitting defense minister.
The military objective is the total obliteration of Iran’s armed forces.
Simultaneous missiles impacted the private residence of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, killing him instantly. A newly formed council emerged in the resulting power vacuum to attempt governance over the capital.
The IRGC launched ballistic missiles and armed drones against 30 US military installations across the region. Tehran officials stated 27 US bases sustained hits in the most extensive offensive in the Republic's history.
Explosions rocked Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the Iranian counter-offensive spilled into the United Arab Emirates. In Bahrain, British military personnel watched from several hundred yards as drones and missiles impacted near their positions.
The Pentagon confirmed three US service members died during the widespread engagements. American officials denied claims that the USS Abraham Lincoln sustained damage, stating no projectiles reached the carrier's vicinity.
The Red Crescent tallied more than 200 fatalities across Iranian provinces as humanitarian costs mounted. A strike on a girls’ school in Minab county killed 148 people and left 95 civilians wounded in the wreckage.
Donald Trump stated the military objective is the total obliteration of Iran’s armed forces. He maintained that heavy, pinpoint bombing campaigns will continue until a total cessation of hostilities occurs.
The Iranian government declared 40 days of public mourning and a week-long national holiday following the loss of their leader. Iran’s National Supreme Council announced Khamenei was martyred during a joint operation by the US and Israel.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated his primary mandate is the protection of British military assets and civilians. Royal Air Force jets patrolled regional skies throughout Saturday to mitigate further escalation.
Blood revenge is now the legitimate right and religious duty of the Iranian nation.
The UK government stopped short of endorsing the strikes. Sir Keir Starmer held a telephonic summit with Donald Trump to discuss the operational fallout and shifting security landscape.
Conservative and Reform UK figures criticized the Prime Minister for a lack of overt support for the US mission. Nigel Farage demanded the government grant the Americans full access to British military bases.
Benjamin Netanyahu declared the existential threat to Israel dismantled following the successful strike in Tehran. He cited multiple intelligence indicators confirming the Supreme Leader is dead.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the assassination as a formal declaration of war against the Muslim world. He asserted that blood revenge is now the legitimate right and religious duty of the Iranian nation.
The IRGC is preparing a sixth wave of extensive missile and drone strikes for launch. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf vowed to deliver strikes that would force the US and Israel to beg for terms.
Donald Trump issued a final warning against further escalation, threatening a level of force the world has never witnessed. He claimed intelligence shows members of Iran’s internal security forces are seeking immunity and refusing to fight.
Two vessels were struck by unidentified projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Iran’s Cabinet concluded the weekend by warning that the killing of their leader will not go unanswered.