Iran's Supreme Leader Believed Dead After Devastating Compound Strike
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is believed to have been killed after a devastating barrage of thirty bombs obliterated his compound in Tehran on Saturday. The air strike formed part of an audacious plan to eliminate the regime's entire leadership, signalling the start of a massive coordinated attack by the United States and Israel that has plunged the entire Middle East into a dangerous regional conflict.
Netanyahu Announces 'Many Signs' of Khamenei's Death
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated there were 'many signs' that Khamenei, aged eighty-six and Iran's Supreme Leader for thirty-seven years, perished in the strike. The attack destroyed a series of buildings within the compound where key regime leaders were reportedly holding a meeting. His body was among those reportedly recovered from the rubble, with Israeli television networks indicating a photo of the remains had been shown to both Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
Immediate Retaliation and Escalating Regional Warfare
Less than two hours after the initial explosions tore through Tehran, Iran launched a wave of retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting Israel, Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. In Dubai, a fire erupted at the entrance of the luxury Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel after an apparent hit by an Iranian Shahed drone. In Bahrain, another attack drone smashed into a residential tower block hours after drones struck the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, with videos showing a huge explosion and black smoke billowing from the crucial US command centre port.
Massive Joint Operation and Leadership Decapitation
The US and Israel struck more than five hundred targets across Iran in an extraordinary joint operation, with the first wave—codenamed Epic Fury by US officials—aimed at 'decapitating' Iran's leadership. Intelligence sources indicated key regime figures were meeting at three locations, including Khamenei's compound, which were targeted simultaneously once agents confirmed senior leadership were present. The Israeli army stated around two hundred fighter jets participated in an 'extensive attack', describing the raids as the largest in its air force's history.
Key Casualties and Strategic Disruption
Alongside Khamenei, several other high-profile Iranian figures are believed to have been killed. These include Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Khamenei's son Mojtaba, widely expected to succeed his father, is also reported dead according to Israeli media. Furthermore, Iran reportedly blocked ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil export route, while Iranian officials claimed eighty-five people died in a strike on a girls' school in southern Iran.
Trump's Declaration and International Response
In an eight-minute video released on social media, President Trump announced 'major combat operations' had commenced against Iran, warning that 'the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost'. Wearing a USA-branded baseball cap, he pledged to eliminate Iran's nuclear programme and devastate its military, asserting, 'It's a very simple message: they will never have a nuclear weapon.' Meanwhile, UK Labour leader Keir Starmer announced British planes were 'in the sky' as part of 'defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies'.
Widespread Strikes and Civilian Impact
Explosions were witnessed across Tehran, with smoke rising above residential areas. Minutes after Khamenei's compound was destroyed, blasts erupted at the Ministry of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, and the neighbourhood housing former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Astonishing videos showed twenty-one Tomahawk missiles screaming at low level over the Iranian countryside en route to capital targets. Strikes were reported in twenty of Iran's thirty-one provinces, including cities like Bushehr, Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah, and Isfahan.
Humanitarian and Travel Chaos
The conflict has caused significant disruption, with thousands of Britons stranded across the Middle East as airports shut down amid the escalating violence. In Dubai, home to over two hundred and forty thousand Britons, Iranian missiles and drones rained down on luxury hotels and shopping areas, with one projectile landing near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. No British casualties have been reported from the Bahrain attacks near the UK Naval Support Facility.
Israel has indicated it expects the assault to last several days, while Iran vowed a 'crushing' response, initiating a barrage of missiles against Israel—many intercepted—followed by a blitz of missiles and 'suicide' drones across the region. The situation remains fluid and highly volatile, with the potential for further escalation as both sides demonstrate unwavering resolve.
