Overview
- Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in coordinated U.S.–Israeli strikes, and Iran answered with missile and drone barrages that caused civilian deaths in Israel and Gulf states and the first reported U.S. military fatalities.
- Reports led by the Financial Times say Israeli services hacked Tehran’s traffic cameras and penetrated mobile networks for years, with a U.S. human source helping confirm Khamenei’s presence before the attack.
- Iranian outlets, including Tasnim, reported heavy damage to the Assembly of Experts complex in Qom, as authorities operate under a provisional council and a member signaled the choice of a new leader “won’t take long.”
- Israeli and regional media said senior Iranian figures, including Ali Shamkhani and IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, were killed; Israeli reports also claimed former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was killed, which has not been independently confirmed.
- Israeli and U.S. officials highlighted objectives to degrade Iran’s capabilities, while Netanyahu defended the strikes and U.S. leaders signaled further action could follow as cross-border clashes and regional disruptions continued.