Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in a "massive" and ongoing attack by Israel and the US against Iran's leadership and military.
US President Donald Trump urged Iranian forces to lay down their arms and called on Iran's people to rise up against the government.
Iran retaliated by firing ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, targeting Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.
On Sunday, Israel said it launched fresh attacks on "the heart of Tehran," while Iranian strikes in the region continued.
Trump stated the operation aims to "ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon." He warned Iran's armed forces to surrender for "complete immunity" or "face certain death."
The US military dubbed the operation "Operation Epic Fury." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and the US launched the "operation to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran."
Explosions were reported in 24 of Iran's 31 provinces, including Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, Qom, and Kermanshah. Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities, air defenses, missile and drone sites, and military airfields.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said about 200 fighter jets participated in an "extensive attack against missile arrays and defense systems" in western and central Iran, dropping hundreds of munitions on approximately 500 targets simultaneously.
Netanyahu announced in a televised address, "We destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei in the heart of Tehran." Trump later posted on Truth Social, "Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead."
Khamenei's death was confirmed by Iran's Supreme National Security Council. President Masoud Pezeshkian's office in Tehran was also reportedly targeted in initial strikes, but he is safe.
Iran is experiencing a near-total internet blackout, and its airspace is closed. The Red Crescent reported over 200 killed and more than 700 injured nationwide. At least 108 died in a school explosion in southern Iran.
According to CBS News, around 40 Iranian officials were killed. The IDF named seven senior Iranian defense officials among the dead, including Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, and IRGC Commander Gen. Mohammad Pakpour.
The IRGC appointed a new commander-in-chief, Ahmad Vahidi. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel and the US of launching a "wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate" war.
Source: www.bbc.com