• Iran confirms death of Supreme Leader, announces 40 days of mourning
• Missiles strike Tehran, hospital hit; nine killed in Israel in retaliatory fire
• US reports sinking Iranian vessels, B-2 bombers target missile sites; three American troops killed
• Strait of Hormuz shut by IRGC, shipping disrupted
• Trump says conflict could last ‘four weeks’; Tehran signals openness to talks but vows unlimited self-defence
JERUSALEM: Tensions in the Middle East spiralled dramatically on Sunday after Iran confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike, triggering fears of a broader regional war and plunging the region into one of its gravest crises in decades.
Iran declared 40 days of national mourning and announced seven public holidays following the death of the leader who had held ultimate authority since 1989. As Tehran reeled, Iranian missiles struck central Israel, killing at least nine people in the town of Beit Shemesh and wounding dozens more.
The conflict has rattled global markets and threatened energy supplies, with key Gulf shipping routes disrupted and major powers bracing for deeper involvement.
Senior leadership targeted
Israel said coordinated strikes eliminated around 40 senior Iranian officials, six of whom were confirmed by Iranian state media.
Those reported killed include Revolutionary Guards commander Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, armed forces chief Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, senior military aide Mohammad Shirazi, police intelligence chief Gholamreza Rezaian, and top adviser Ali Shamkhani. Iranian media also reported that members of Khamenei’s immediate family were among the casualties.
US President Donald Trump said American intelligence had closely tracked Khamenei’s movements, asserting that there had been no opportunity for escape.
Escalation across multiple fronts
Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said air operations were aimed at clearing a “path to Tehran”, claiming that most air defence systems in western and central Iran had been neutralised. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to intensify the campaign, saying Israel had not yet deployed its full force.
Iran retaliated with missile strikes targeting Israel and countries hosting US military bases. Emergency service Magen David Adom confirmed fatalities and injuries in Beit Shemesh.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they targeted the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles, though the Pentagon denied any successful strike. The Guards also said oil tankers in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz had been hit, claims that could not be independently verified.
Acting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Khamenei’s killing as a “declaration of war against Muslims,” while senior official Ali Larijani vowed a response “never seen before.”
The US military’s United States Central Command reported striking an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette in the Gulf of Oman at the outset of operations. Washington also said B-2 stealth bombers had hit fortified ballistic missile facilities using 2,000-pound munitions.
Trump said the campaign could last about four weeks, adding that casualties were expected but framing the operation as ultimately beneficial for global security. The Pentagon confirmed three US service members had been killed in strikes on Iran.
Strait of Hormuz closed
The conflict has thrown Gulf shipping into disarray. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil and gas supplies. Dozens of tankers reportedly halted in open waters as operators sought to avoid the chokepoint. Major carriers MSC and Maersk suspended regional navigation.
Iranian state television said a tanker attempting to cross the strait was struck and sinking.
Diplomacy amid destruction
Despite the escalation, diplomatic contacts continued. Oman’s foreign ministry said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi that Tehran remained open to serious de-escalation efforts, while insisting on its right to self-defence without limits.
Albusaidi stressed that “the door to diplomacy remains open,” noting progress in previous US-Iran talks and urging that war should not extinguish hopes for peace.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog scheduled an emergency meeting at Russia’s request, while European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described Khamenei’s death as a defining moment in Iran’s history, saying the country now faced an uncertain future.
War widens
Clashes continued across Iran. In the western city of Mehran, more than 40 security personnel were reported killed in a strike on a border regiment headquarters. Iranian media also said Tehran’s Gandhi Hospital was hit in air raids, releasing footage showing debris scattered across wards.
Israel announced plans to mobilise nearly 100,000 reservists under “Operation Roaring Lion,” the name given to its campaign against Iran, signalling preparations for a prolonged confrontation.
Analysts warned that while the loss of senior leaders represents a major blow to Tehran, it may not dismantle the entrenched clerical system or the Revolutionary Guards’ hold on power — raising fears that the conflict could intensify before any path to resolution emerges.