Photo: Ali Khamenei X Account / Screenshot

A massive military operation by the United States and Israel against Iran detonated across Tehran, striking deep into the heart of the Islamic Republic’s power structures and upending geopolitical stability in the Middle East. Early Saturday, explosions cratered strategic targets in the capital, including the complex associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as hundreds of air and missile strikes simultaneously hit sites tied to Iran’s nuclear and military apparatus. Within hours, Israeli officials told international news agencies that Khamenei had been killed in the assault, a claim later affirmed by the U.S.

Iranian government spokespeople and foreign ministry officials initially denied the reports of his death, asserting that top leaders remained alive amid chaos.

Social media post show Iranian people celebrating in the street.

The joint U.S.–Israeli campaign followed months of deteriorating relations over Iran’s nuclear activities and security posture, during which diplomatic channels failed to produce enduring restraints on Tehran’s strategic programs. Tehran responded to the initial strikes by launching missile and drone fire toward U.S. bases and Israeli territory, turning the isolated bombardment into a broader clash that spread across the region. 

The unfolding situation remains highly fluid.