Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation, Iran’s state media confirmed. The Iranian government announced 40 days of mourning after the strike, which came as part of a large military campaign the U.S. and Israel said was intended to topple Iran’s Islamic regime.
Israel’s military said top Iranian security officials were among those killed, including the defense minister, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the secretary of the Iranian Security Council, a close adviser to Khamenei. Iran’s state media has confirmed those deaths. A person briefed on the strike told NPR that Khamenei was killed by an Israeli strike; that source requested anonymity. Trump did not explicitly confirm that Israel carried out the strike, but posted on Truth Social that Israel, “with U.S. support,” had killed Khamenei.
President Trump wrote that Khamenei “was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems” and, hours later, warned Iran against further retaliation: “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” In an eight-minute video posted on Truth Social, Trump said the objective was “to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime” and urged Iranians to take over their government once bombing ended.
The initial wave of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began after sunrise, with large explosions and plumes of smoke in Tehran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry called the attacks a “gross violation” of its sovereignty and said both military and civilian sites were hit. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said more than 200 people were killed in strikes across Iran. Local prosecutors in southern Iran reported that one airstrike hit a girls’ primary school, killing at least 85 children and leaving more buried under rubble; Israeli officials were asked for comment on that report.
Capt. Tim Hawkins, a U.S. Central Command spokesperson, said the U.S. was aware of reports of civilian harm and was investigating. “The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm. Unlike Iran, we have never — and will never — target civilians,” he said.
Iran responded with missile and drone launches, spreading the conflict across the region. Air raid sirens sounded in Israel as missiles targeted Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; Israeli rescue services reported one person killed and 121 injured in the first 24 hours. Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait reported being struck by Iranian attacks. Jordan said it downed 49 drones and ballistic missiles. In Dubai, smoke rose from the international airport and port, and debris from intercepted drones caused injuries in a residential area. Bahrain reported an Iranian strike on the U.S. Fifth Fleet base. The UAE said shrapnel from an Iranian missile killed a foreign national in Abu Dhabi.
The joint operation, dubbed “Epic Fury” by the Pentagon and “Roaring Lion” by Israel, followed weeks of escalating tensions and a major U.S. military buildup. The U.S. had been negotiating with Iran in Geneva to limit its nuclear program; Trump said those efforts failed. Analysts had speculated whether the president would authorize a limited strike or a broader campaign; the scale and the president’s language suggested a large, open-ended bombardment. Trump declared intentions to “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground” and told the Revolutionary Guard Corps to surrender or face “certain death.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency and other nuclear experts have said there is no evidence Iran has resumed uranium enrichment, which Trump has repeatedly claimed Iran was rebuilding. Prior to the attack, Trump had said he preferred a negotiated deal but also welcomed regime change, offering limited detail on U.S. goals.
Israeli officials said the operation involved about 200 fighter jets striking roughly 500 targets across western and central Iran, including air defenses and missile launchers, marking Israel’s largest air operation in its history and expanding its aerial superiority over Iran. An Israeli official said U.S. and Israeli forces had spent months building a target bank and struck multiple simultaneous gatherings of senior Iranian officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the aim was to “remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran” and to create conditions for the Iranian people to take control of their destiny.
The military said the operation was conducted with “full synchronization and coordination” between U.S. and Israeli forces. Israel closed its airspace to passenger flights, activated civil defense protocols, and declared a 48-hour state of emergency. Air raid sirens sounded widely, and hospitals took protective measures. Trailing smoke was visible over Tel Aviv as Israeli defenses engaged incoming missiles.
Communications inside Iran were disrupted in some areas. Residents who spoke to NPR described panic and mass movement as people sought shelter; some declined to be named for fear of arrest. Tehran residents reported security forces and Revolutionary Guard units deploying in neighborhoods, sometimes displaying weapons openly to intimidate.
The U.S. and Israeli campaign has raised international alarm. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned both the strikes and Iran’s retaliatory attacks, warning of a “grave threat to international peace and security” and urging peaceful settlement through dialogue. Iran’s parliament speaker called U.S. and Israeli leaders “filthy criminals” who would face “devastating blows.”
Human rights groups and reporting noted Iran’s recent harsh crackdown on protests; the U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency said more than 7,000 people were killed in earlier suppression, while Trump has cited a much higher figure without sourcing it. Military analysts caution that without ground forces it will be extremely difficult to topple Iran’s leadership by air power alone, and it remains unclear whether domestic unrest could unseat the regime.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president had spoken with leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Regional militaries remain on high alert as the situation continues to evolve.
