Big blow to Iran: Supreme Leader Khamenei killed in deadly strike, family members also dead

Tel Aviv/Tehran (The Uttam Hindu): Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reportedly been killed in a joint US-Israeli attack, according to Iranian media reports. Several members of his family, including his daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and daughter-in-law, were also reported killed in the strike. Iranian authorities have announced 40 days of national mourning along with seven days of public holidays following the reported death of the country’s top leader.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps expressed grief over the loss, stating that the nation is mourning the death of a major leader. The Iranian military has also warned of a major retaliatory operation and said preparations are underway for strikes targeting US-controlled areas and what it described as terrorist bases in the region.

Earlier, Donald Trump claimed that Khamenei had been killed and described the development as justice in a social media post. The escalation followed large-scale attacks by Israel and the United States on several Iranian cities, including Tehran, after which Iran launched counter-attacks against Israeli targets, raising concerns about a wider regional conflict.