Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dead, confirms Iran
Tehran | Desk: Iranian state media made a shocking official announcement on Sunday, confirming the death of the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during the massive military strikes carried out by the US and Israel on Iran. According to the state news agency, the attack was so deadly that several members of the Khamenei family, including his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson, were also killed.
Following the missile strikes launched by Israel on Saturday, US President Donald Trump has announced a 'major military operation' in Iran. Trump has clearly stated that the bombing will continue without interruption for the entire week or so long as necessary, until his objectives are fulfilled.
Iran's official news agency, IRNA, confirmed that the attacks caused significant damage to Iran's defense infrastructure. Ali Shamkhani, the Supreme Leader's top political adviser and Secretary of the Defense Council, and Mohammad Pakpour, the IRGC Commander-in-Chief, were also killed in the attacks.
The intensity of the attacks can be gauged from the fact that at least 108 innocent people were killed in the bombing of a school in southern Iran, while a total of more than 201 people have been reported killed so far in 24 different Iranian provinces.
Following this incident, tensions have reached a peak across the Middle East. Iran has launched its retaliatory strikes, targeting US and Israeli bases in Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
Due to this widespread conflict, many countries in the region have completely closed their airspace for security reasons. While images of Khamenei's supporters mourning and wailing at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad city are emerging, reports of celebrations and fireworks are also being reported in the capital, Tehran.
Many Iranians hold Khamenei and his security forces responsible for the killing of thousands of protesters during recent protests.
Strategic experts have expressed concern over this situation. Harlan Ullman, president of the Kiloven Group and advisor to the Atlantic Council, told Al Jazeera that the US made a "big mistake" by killing Khamenei, as he has now become a "martyr."
He warned that the loss of leadership to a capable leader like Ali Larijani could make Iran an even more dangerous adversary. Experts believe that even with this leadership loss, Iran is unlikely to return to the negotiating table; rather, this move could pose even greater challenges for the US in the future.
