Iran fired missiles at targets in Israel and several Gulf Arab states on Sunday, vowing sweeping retaliation after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli airstrike. The escalation prompted US President Donald Trump to warn Tehran against further action.
According to a report by Associated Press (AP), Iran confirmed that the 86-year-old leader was killed Saturday in an Israeli-American strike on his Tehran office. His death has thrown the future of the Islamic Republic into uncertainty and heightened fears of broader regional instability.
The 86-year-old’s death at his office "showed that he consistently stood among the people and at the forefront of his responsibilities, confronting what officials call global arrogance", Iranian state TV said, as quoted by AP.
Trump described the killing as a turning point for Iran. "Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead," Trump wrote in a social media post. He added that the moment presented Iranians with their "greatest chance" to "take back" their country, as reported by AP.
Iran’s Cabinet vowed that this "great crime will never go unanswered", while the powerful Revolutionary Guard threatened to carry out its "most intense offensive operation" ever against Israeli and American bases.
"You have crossed our red line and must pay the price," Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a televised address Sunday. "We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg," as quoted by AP.
"Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before," Trump fired back in a social media post. "THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!", AP has quoted.
Within hours of the initial strikes, Iran launched missiles and drones toward Israel and US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The Israeli military said dozens of missiles were fired at Israel, many of which were intercepted. Emergency service Magen David Adom reported that a woman in the Tel Aviv area died after being wounded in an Iranian missile attack.
Air travel across the Middle East was disrupted. Air defence systems lit up the skies over Dubai, and explosions were reported into Sunday morning. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile strike on the UAE capital killed one person, state media reported, and debris from interceptions sparked fires at the city’s main port and damaged the facade of the Burj Al Arab hotel.
According to AP, the attack marked a dramatic new phase in US involvement in the region and raised the possibility of a wider war. The killing of Khamenei, the second such assault on Iran during Trump’s current administration, appeared likely to create a leadership vacuum, given the absence of a publicly identified successor. As supreme leader for decades, Khamenei held final authority over major state policies and led both Iran’s clerical establishment and the Revolutionary Guard.
"This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country," Trump said, AP has quoted.
Iran swiftly formed a governing council to oversee the country until a new supreme leader is selected.
State media also reported that the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and a top security adviser to Khamenei were killed in the airstrikes. Major General Mohammad Pakpour assumed command of the Guard after its previous commander was killed in last year’s 12-day conflict with Israel. The adviser, Ali Shamkhani, was described by IRNA as a longstanding figure in Iran’s security establishment.
In Tehran, some residents reportedly celebrated news of Khamenei’s death, while others mourned. A black mourning flag was raised over the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, and authorities declared 40 days of public mourning along with a seven-day nationwide public holiday.
The semiofficial Fars news agency, citing unidentified sources, reported that several of Khamenei’s relatives were also killed in the strike, including a daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and grandchild.
The US military said that despite "hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks", there were no American casualties and only minimal damage at US bases. It confirmed that targets inside Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defence systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
Israel said it had killed the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country’s defence minister and the secretary of the Iranian Security Council in the operation, which officials described as months in the planning.
An Iranian diplomat told the United Nations Security Council that hundreds of civilians were killed and wounded in the strikes. Iran retaliated with sustained missile and drone fire toward Israel and US bases, with exchanges continuing overnight.
Some of the earliest strikes reportedly hit near Khamenei’s offices. Israeli officials confirmed his death, followed shortly by Trump.
The escalation has drawn criticism in Washington, with Democrats arguing that Trump acted without congressional authorisation. The White House said Republican and Democratic leaders had been briefed in advance.
Tensions had been mounting for weeks as the US deployed one of its largest military buildups in the Middle East in decades. While Trump has maintained he sought a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear programme, intelligence assessments indicated Iran had rebuilt key infrastructure and developed the capacity to produce high-quality centrifuges for uranium enrichment.
Iran has insisted it has not enriched uranium since June but has barred international inspectors from visiting certain bombed sites. Satellite imagery analysed by the Associated Press showed renewed activity at two facilities.
Trump acknowledged the risks of escalation, saying "that often happens in war". He said he aimed to "annihilate" the Iranian navy and dismantle regional proxies backed by Tehran, urging members of the Revolutionary Guard to surrender or face "certain death," as quoted by AP.
In southern Iran, local officials reported that at least 115 people were killed when a girls’ school was struck. US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins said he was "aware of reports" and that authorities were investigating.
IRNA reported that at least 15 people were killed in the southwest, quoting Lamerd governor Ali Alizadeh as saying a sports hall, two residential areas and a hall near a school were hit.
The strikes have raised concerns about global markets, particularly if Iran disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil exports.
Saudi Arabia said attempted strikes on its capital and eastern region were repelled. Bahrain reported a missile attack targeting the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters, with buildings damaged in Manama and Muharraq. Kuwait said a drone targeted its main international airport, injuring employees, and that troops were hurt by shrapnel at Ali Al-Salem air base. Explosions were also heard in Qatar, while Jordan said it "dealt with" 49 drones and ballistic missiles, as reported by AP.
As missile exchanges continued, the region braced for further escalation amid fears that the conflict could expand beyond Iran and Israel.