Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei killed amid escalating Middle East conflict

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, Iran's Fars News Agency reported on Sunday. 

The news agency, citing sources, also reported that four relatives of Khamenei, including his daughter, grandchild and son-in-law, were killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes.

The Iranian government announced 40 days of public mourning. Iran's Revolutionary Guard vowed they would take revenge on Khamenei's killers.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the killing of Khamenei on Saturday, a claim rejected by Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. The spokesperson said at the time that both the Supreme Leader and President Masoud Pezeshkian were "safe and sound."

The United States and Israel launched what they described as "major combat operations" against Iran on Saturday. Israel had earlier stated that all senior Iranian government officials were potential targets. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal of the joint military action was to "topple Iran's ruling regime."

Trump said Iran was developing long-range missiles capable of threatening the United States, adding that the strikes aimed to dismantle Iran's missile industry and ensure that Tehran could not acquire nuclear weapons.

Iran's Red Crescent Society said 201 people were killed and 747 injured in the U.S.-Israeli attacks, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officials said at least one person was killed and seven wounded during an "incident" at Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport following Iranian strikes targeting the Gulf states.

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard has told ships that passage through the strait is "not allowed."

Iran responded with a wave of retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and U.S. assets across the region. Explosions were reported in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, among other locations.

In a statement issued at 1 a.m. local time Sunday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said four drones struck a U.S. ammunition transport vessel docked at Jebel Ali Port in the UAE, causing it to lose power and explode. The IRGC also claimed that a U.S. naval base in Kuwait was hit by four ballistic missiles and 12 drones, destroying infrastructure and causing heavy casualties among American personnel.

Additionally, Iran said it launched a missile strike against a U.S. MST-class combat support ship transporting fuel in the Indian Ocean. The IRGC's public relations department also announced that Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia was precisely targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. It further claimed responsibility for a missile strike on the Harir military base in Iraq, which it said hosts U.S. special forces.

Military operations will continue

On Saturday night, Netanyahu said in a televised address that operations against Iran "will continue as long as necessary to ensure that Iran no longer poses a threat." He said Israel would strike thousands of additional targets in the coming days and warned that the Israeli military was prepared for any response from Iranian-backed forces in the region. He added that Israel and the United States were acting in full coordination.

Trump said he had left himself multiple off-ramps in the military campaign against Iran, saying he can stay engaged long-term and control the entire situation, or he can end this within two or three days.

Following the February 28 strikes by the United States and Israel, the FBI's counterterrorism and counterintelligence units went on high alert nationwide. A federal official said the bureau may increase both ground and cyber surveillance as part of heightened security measures. Police departments, including those in New York City, have also increased patrols amid concerns about potential domestic violence incidents.

The military action took place late at night (U.S. time), but as morning broke across the country, several American officials voiced criticism. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine condemned the operation as "dangerous, unnecessary and reckless," warning that it would put U.S. troops and diplomats in the Middle East at serious risk. He urged Congress to reconvene immediately to vote on the proposed War Powers Resolution, aimed at preventing the president from committing U.S. armed forces to war with Iran without congressional authorization.

International reactions

The escalating conflict has drawn widespread international concern, with many countries urging restraint and calling for a return to dialogue to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the UN Security Council, strongly condemning the large-scale military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, as well as Iran's subsequent attacks on several regional countries. He warned that the situation poses a grave threat to international peace and security and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to negotiations.

Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes as "deliberate and unprovoked" armed aggression, calling for a return to political and diplomatic solutions.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it is highly concerned about the military strikes against Iran, emphasizing that Iran's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected. The ministry called for an immediate halt to military actions, de-escalation of tensions, and the resumption of dialogue to safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East.

Experts question the results

Military analysts have questioned whether airstrikes alone could compel Iran to abandon its nuclear program.

"Without deploying ground forces inside Iran, it remains uncertain whether military pressure alone can force concessions," said Tang Zhichao, director of the Center for Middle East Development and Governance Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He warned that if the conflict becomes protracted, a more hardline government could emerge in Iran and retaliatory actions could lead to severe U.S. casualties, potentially turning the conflict into a major setback for Trump.

In an interview with CGTN hours after the renewed attacks, Mehdi Latifi, editor-in-chief of Ana News Agency in Tehran, described the strikes as "pre-planned" and said they had "done nothing but create widespread distrust."

While he expects the situation to intensify in the coming days and nights as attacks broaden, Latifi said he does not foresee a prolonged war. "Given the scope of the conflict, I do not think we will witness a prolonged and severe war," he said.