Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation, Iran’s state media reported, and the government declared a 40-day period of mourning. The strike was described by U.S. and Israeli officials as part of a broader campaign aimed at toppling Iran’s Islamic leadership.
Israeli and Iranian sources said several senior Iranian security figures were also killed, including the defense minister, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, a close adviser to Khamenei. Iran’s state media confirmed those deaths. An individual briefed on the operation told NPR that an Israeli strike had killed Khamenei; the source spoke on condition of anonymity. President Trump did not explicitly name Israel as the attacker but posted on Truth Social that Israel, “with U.S. support,” had killed the supreme leader.
In messages and a video posted online, Trump said Khamenei “was unable to avoid our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems” and warned Tehran against further retaliation, saying Iran would face unprecedented force if it struck back. In an eight-minute recording, the president framed the operation as necessary to “defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime” and urged Iranians themselves to seize control of their government after the bombing halted.
The initial wave of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began at dawn, producing large explosions and columns of smoke over 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 reported more than 200 deaths in strikes across the country. Local prosecutors in southern Iran said one strike struck a girls’ primary school, killing at least 85 children and leaving others trapped beneath rubble; Israeli officials were asked to comment on that account.
U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said the U.S. was aware of reports of civilian casualties and was investigating, emphasizing that protection of civilians is a priority. “Unlike Iran, we have never — and will never — target civilians,” he said.
Iran launched missile and drone attacks in response, broadening the fighting 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 states including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait reported strikes linked to Iranian attacks. Jordan said it shot down 49 drones and ballistic missiles. In Dubai, smoke was seen near the international airport and port, and debris from intercepted drones caused injuries in a residential neighborhood. Bahrain reported an attack on the U.S. Fifth Fleet base in Manama, and UAE officials said shrapnel from an Iranian missile killed a foreign national in Abu Dhabi.
The Pentagon called the operation “Epic Fury,” while Israeli authorities referred to it as “Roaring Lion.” It followed weeks of escalating tensions and a significant U.S. military buildup in the region. U.S. officials said negotiations in Geneva to limit Iran’s nuclear activities had failed. Analysts had debated whether a U.S. president would authorize a limited strike or a broader campaign; the scope of the operation and the president’s rhetoric suggested a wide-ranging, open-ended bombardment. Trump vowed to “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground” and warned the Revolutionary Guard to surrender or face “certain death.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency and outside nuclear experts have said they see no evidence Iran has resumed uranium enrichment at levels reported by some U.S. officials. Previously, Trump had said he preferred negotiations but also expressed support for regime change, without providing detailed objectives.
Israeli military officials said the operation involved roughly 200 fighter jets striking about 500 targets across western and central Iran, including air-defense systems and missile launchers. They described it as Israel’s largest air operation and said U.S. and Israeli forces had spent months building a target set and struck multiple simultaneous gatherings of senior Iranian officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal was to remove what he called the existential threat posed by Iran’s leadership and to create conditions for Iranians to determine their own future.
U.S. and Israeli forces described the campaign as carried out with close coordination. Israel closed its airspace to civilian flights, activated civil-defense protocols, and declared a 48-hour state of emergency. Air-raid sirens were widespread, hospitals enacted protective measures, and trailing smoke was visible over Tel Aviv as air defenses engaged incoming missiles.
Inside Iran, communications were disrupted in some areas. Residents who spoke to international media described panic and mass movement as people sought shelter; some spoke only on background for fear of arrest. Tehran neighborhoods saw deployments of security forces and IRGC units, with some reports of armed displays intended to intimidate.
The strikes and Iran’s retaliatory actions drew international alarm. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned both the initial attacks and subsequent strikes, warning of a grave threat to international peace and security and urging a return to dialogue. Iran’s parliament speaker called U.S. and Israeli leaders “filthy criminals” and vowed devastating response.
Human-rights groups and reporting have documented Iran’s recent harsh crackdown on protests; one U.S.-based rights agency said more than 7,000 people were killed in earlier suppression, a figure cited by opponents of the regime. Military analysts caution that without a sustained ground campaign it will be extremely difficult to topple Iran’s leadership by air power alone, and it remains uncertain whether domestic unrest will unseat the government.
The White House said the president had spoken with several regional leaders and with international partners as governments remained on high alert while the situation continued to evolve.