Iran vows revenge, casualties rise
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several top military and security officials were confirmed killed following coordinated US-Israel strikes.
Iranian authorities and the Israeli military released the names of senior figures said to have died in the attacks
Meanwhile, Tehran reported over 200 casualties nationwide and pledged retaliation against US and Israeli interests.
Earlier, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly said there were “growing signs” that Iran’s supreme leader, Khamenei, is “gone” after US and Israeli strikes.
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei was killed during the coordinated attacks, which have targeted key government and military installations across the country.
The development marks one of the most significant escalations in the region in decades.
According to Iranian authorities and state news agency IRNA, the following senior figures were killed:
Ali Khamenei – Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Shamkhani – Khamenei’s security adviser and head of Iran’s Security Council
Abdul Rahim Mousavi – Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces
Aziz Nasirzadeh – Defence Minister Mohammad Pakpour – Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
IRNA added that more armed forces commanders were also killed, noting that their names would be released at a later time.
The Israeli military also released a separate list of senior Iranian figures it claimed were eliminated in Saturday’s airstrikes.
Beyond the names already confirmed by Tehran, Israel said those killed included:
Aziz Nasirzadeh, the country’s defence minister;
Ali Shamkhani, the head of the Iranian Security Council;
Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC);
Saleh Asadi, an intelligence official; Hossein Jabal Amelian;and
Reza Mozaffari-Nia, research officials Mohammed Shirazi, a longtime defence liaison.
The Israeli military further claimed it had struck “the heart of Tehran” for the first time since the latest wave of attacks began.
In a statement posted on Telegram, it said the strikes targeted government sites and were aimed at establishing aerial superiority and “paving the path to Tehran.”
Large plumes of smoke were reportedly seen rising from parts of the Iranian capital.
Iran vows revenge, casualties rise
In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) pledged retaliation, stating it had launched attacks on 27 bases hosting US troops across the Middle East, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv.
Explosions were reportedly heard in parts of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian state media said at least 201 people had been killed across 24 provinces since the attacks began.
President Donald Trump also stated in a Truth Social post that Khamenei was killed.
Trump warned Tehran against further escalation, saying Iran would be hit “with a force that has never been seen before” if it retaliates forcefully.
Interim leadership announced Following Khamenei’s death,
Meanwhile, Iran’s government has announced the formation of an interim council to oversee state affairs until a new supreme leader is elected.
The council is said to include President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials.
The unfolding situation has heightened tensions across the Middle East, with regional and global powers closely monitoring developments as exchanges between Iran, the United States and Israel intensify.
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