Missile Barrages Rock Middle East After Khamenei Killed in Joint U.S.-Israeli Strike

BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA

Iran unleashed a wave of missiles and drones at Israel and several Gulf Arab states on Sunday, hours after confirming that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint Israeli-American airstrike in Tehran. The dramatic escalation pushed the region to the brink of a broader war and drew a sharp warning from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened overwhelming retaliation if Tehran intensified its response.

Iranian state television acknowledged that Khamenei, 86, was killed at his office during a coordinated strike Saturday described by Israeli and American officials as the culmination of months of planning. His death marks an unprecedented turning point for the Islamic Republic, removing the ultimate authority who for decades held final say over military, political and religious matters.

State media portrayed Khamenei’s death as martyrdom, saying he had “stood among the people and at the forefront of his responsibilities” in defiance of what officials characterized as hostile Western powers. The government declared 40 days of public mourning and a weeklong nationwide holiday, while black flags were raised at prominent religious sites, including the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

President Trump described the killing as a decisive blow to Iran’s leadership and suggested it created an opening for political change within the country. In a social media post, he called Khamenei “one of the most evil people in history” and said Iranians now had their “greatest chance” to reclaim their nation’s future. At the same time, he warned Tehran against escalating military action, declaring that any intensification of attacks would be met with force “never seen before.”

Iran’s political and military leadership responded with vows of sweeping retaliation. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf declared that a “red line” had been crossed and promised devastating consequences. The powerful Revolutionary Guard threatened its most intense offensive campaign to date, targeting Israeli territory and American military installations across the region.

Within hours, missiles and drones were launched toward Israel and U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The Israeli military reported dozens of incoming missiles, many intercepted by air defense systems. In the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, emergency services said a woman died after being wounded in a missile strike. Air raid sirens echoed across major Israeli cities as explosions lit the night sky.

Across the Gulf, air defenses were activated as projectiles and debris streaked overhead. In the United Arab Emirates, shrapnel from an intercepted missile killed one person in Abu Dhabi, according to state media, and fires were reported at the city’s main port and along the façade of the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. Commercial aviation across the Middle East was disrupted, with multiple carriers suspending or rerouting flights amid fears of further strikes.

Bahrain said missiles targeted areas near the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Manama, causing structural damage to several buildings. Kuwait reported that a drone struck near its main international airport, injuring airport staff, while shrapnel from strikes at Ali Al-Salem Air Base wounded three service members. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted projectiles aimed at its capital and eastern region. Jordan’s military said it had intercepted dozens of drones and ballistic missiles traversing its airspace.

The joint operation that killed Khamenei also reportedly eliminated other senior Iranian officials. State media confirmed the deaths of a top Revolutionary Guard commander and a senior security adviser close to the supreme leader. Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour was named as the Guard’s new commander. Iranian outlets, citing sources close to the security establishment, said several of Khamenei’s relatives were also killed.

The strikes appeared to hit near central government compounds in Tehran, including offices associated with the supreme leader. Israeli officials confirmed Khamenei’s death shortly after the operation, and President Trump publicly acknowledged it soon after.

The attack represents a profound shift in U.S. involvement in the region. President Trump, who campaigned on an “America First” platform and pledged to avoid prolonged overseas conflicts, authorized a direct assault on the highest echelon of Iran’s leadership. Administration officials said the operation targeted Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields. About 12 hours after the initial assault, the U.S. military reported no American casualties and only minimal damage at regional bases despite what it described as hundreds of incoming Iranian projectiles.

In Iran, the immediate political future remains uncertain. Authorities announced the formation of an interim governing council while a successor is selected, though no clear heir has been publicly identified. Khamenei had succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and consolidated power through a network of clerical authorities and security institutions. His death leaves a vacuum at the apex of a system built around centralized religious authority.

Reports from Tehran suggested a divided public mood. Some residents were seen celebrating in isolated incidents, while others gathered in mourning at mosques and public squares. Security forces maintained a heavy presence in major cities amid concerns about unrest.

The escalation follows weeks of rising tension. Washington had significantly reinforced its military presence in the Middle East, deploying additional warships and aircraft. U.S. officials said intelligence indicated Iran was rebuilding elements of its nuclear infrastructure and developing advanced centrifuge capabilities after earlier strikes had degraded parts of its program. Tehran has maintained that it seeks only civilian nuclear energy and denies pursuing nuclear weapons, though it has restricted international inspections at sites previously targeted.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations told the Security Council that hundreds of civilians were killed or wounded in the strikes, including in southern provinces where local officials said residential areas and public buildings were hit. One governor reported that more than 100 people died when a girls’ school was struck; U.S. Central Command said it was aware of the reports and investigating.

Global markets braced for volatility as investors weighed the possibility of further disruption, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a third of the world’s seaborne oil exports transit. Any sustained instability in that corridor could drive energy prices sharply higher and strain global supply chains.

As missile exchanges continued into the night, world leaders called for restraint, warning that miscalculation could ignite a wider regional conflict. Yet with Iran’s most powerful figure eliminated and both sides publicly threatening unprecedented force, prospects for rapid de-escalation appeared uncertain. The coming days are likely to determine whether the confrontation remains contained or spirals into a broader war reshaping the Middle East’s political order.