Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, Iranian state media reported, following extensive US and Israeli airstrikes across the country.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said Khamenei died during the joint military campaign. He stated that the bombing would continue and called the development “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.”
Two officials, one from the intelligence community and another from the military, told CBS News that around 40 Iranian officials were killed in the strikes, including Khamenei. Israel also announced that it had eliminated seven additional senior officials during the operation.
In retaliation, Iran launched strikes across the Middle East. Reports of suspected Iranian attacks surfaced in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait. These areas either host American military facilities or have close ties with Washington.
The humanitarian impact has continued to grow. Iran’s Red Crescent reported that more than 200 people have been killed nationwide. Iranian authorities also said at least 108 people died after US and Israeli strikes hit a girls’ school.