An explosion struck central Tehran as Iran launched missiles across the region in retaliation for the joint U.S.–Israeli strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, widening fears of a broader war.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A powerful explosion rocked the center of Tehran on Sunday as Israeli forces confirmed strikes inside the Iranian capital, intensifying a rapidly expanding conflict that began with the joint U.S.–Israeli operation that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to an Associated Press report, the blast sent a thick plume of smoke rising above the city and shook nearby districts. The apparent impact zone included an area housing Iran’s police headquarters and state television facilities. Israeli military officials stated they were targeting sites in central Tehran, though specific targets were not immediately detailed.
Earlier in the day, Iran launched missiles toward Israel and U.S.-aligned locations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar after pledging significant retaliation for Khamenei’s death. Iranian leaders characterized the killing as a decisive escalation.
“This great crime will never go unanswered,” Iran’s Cabinet said, while the Revolutionary Guard warned of what it described as its “most intense offensive operation” against Israeli and American bases.
“You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf declared in a televised address Sunday. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg.”
President Donald Trump responded with a warning against further action.
“THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT,” Trump wrote on social media. “IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”
Additional senior Iranian officials were reported killed in subsequent strikes, including Gen. Abdol Rahim Mousavi, Iran’s army chief of staff, and Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh. Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, who had recently assumed command of the Revolutionary Guard, and Ali Shamkhani, a longtime security adviser, were also reported among the dead.
The violence quickly reverberated beyond Iran and Israel. In Karachi, Pakistan, hundreds of Shiite protesters stormed the U.S. Consulate, damaging property before police and paramilitary units dispersed the crowd using batons and tear gas. Authorities reported at least six deaths in related clashes.
Oman’s state news agency reported that a Palau-flagged oil tanker, Skylight, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring four crew members identified as Indian and Iranian nationals. Responsibility for the attack was not immediately confirmed. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the strategic waterway, through which roughly one-third of global seaborne oil exports passed in 2025.
In Iraq, a militant group claimed responsibility for a drone strike targeting American bases in Irbil, according to regional media. Smoke was observed near a site hosting a U.S. air base, though the extent of damage was unclear.
Israeli officials stated that dozens of Iranian missiles were fired toward Israel, many intercepted by air defense systems. The Magen David Adom rescue service reported that a woman in the Tel Aviv area died after being wounded in one of the missile strikes.
Airspace disruptions spread across the region. Air defense systems were activated over Dubai, with explosions heard into Sunday morning. State media in the United Arab Emirates reported that shrapnel from an Iranian missile killed one person in the capital, and debris from interceptions ignited fires at the city’s main port and damaged the exterior of the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Saudi Arabia reported repelling missile attacks targeting its capital and eastern region, while Jordan said it had intercepted 49 drones and ballistic missiles.
Iran has since formed an interim council to govern while a successor to Khamenei is selected. The supreme leader had held ultimate authority over Iran’s political and military institutions, including the clerical establishment and the Revolutionary Guard.
Eyewitnesses in Tehran told the Associated Press that reactions to Khamenei’s death were mixed, with some residents reportedly celebrating while official mourning began nationwide. Authorities raised a black flag over the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad and declared 40 days of mourning alongside a seven-day public holiday.
The semiofficial Fars news agency reported that several relatives of Khamenei were also killed, including a daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and grandchild.
U.S. officials said the joint operation had been planned for months and targeted Revolutionary Guard command centers, missile and drone launch sites, air defense systems and military airfields. The Pentagon reported no U.S. casualties and minimal damage at American installations despite what it described as “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.”
Some Democratic lawmakers criticized the president for taking military action without explicit congressional authorization. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said congressional leaders from both parties were briefed in advance.
In southern Iran, local officials reported at least 115 fatalities after a girls’ school was struck, with dozens more injured. U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said he was “aware of reports” regarding the school and that officials were reviewing them.
An Iranian diplomat told the United Nations Security Council that hundreds of civilians had been killed or wounded in the strikes. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported at least 15 additional deaths in the southwest, citing the Lamerd region governor, who said a sports hall, residential areas and a hall near a school were among the locations hit.
The escalating exchange has intensified concerns of prolonged regional instability as both sides continue military operations and issue warnings of further retaliation.
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