Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 86-year-old religious cleric who ran Iran for decades, was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Saturday. President Donald Trump announced his death on social media and state TV later confirmed it. As he launched the bombing, Trump called on Iranians to “take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed so far in the Islamic Republic. However, a senior Iranian official said that there would be no negotiations with the United States.
The war in the Middle East expanded on multiple fronts Monday, with attacks from Iran and Iranian-backed militias hitting Israel and Arab states. Strikes by Israel and the United States were happening in Iran, and Israeli forces were hitting targets in southern Lebanon where at least 31 were killed.
Iran escalated attacks on Israel and targets across the Middle East. Previously safe havens in the Mideast, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have seen incoming fire. With the airspace on lockdown, hundreds of thousands of airline passengers are stranded around the globe.
The price of oil has risen sharply as the conflict disrupts supplies. Qatar halted production of liquefied natural gas on Monday, and Saudi Arabia shut its biggest domestic oil refinery after a drone strike, a source said.
| The US Israel Conflict Escalation | |
|---|---|
| Category | Details |
| Event | Death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Supreme Leader of Iran) |
| Cause of Death | Joint US-Israeli Airstrikes (Ops: "Epic Fury" & "Roaring Lion") |
| Date of Strike | February 28, 2026 |
| Location | High-security compound, Central Tehran |
| Other Key Casualties | Mohammad Pakpour (IRGC Ground Forces Commander), Aziz Nasirzadeh (Defense Minister) |
| Interim Leadership | Council of Three: President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Mohseni-Eje'i, and Cleric Alireza Arafi. |
| Likely Successor | Mojtaba Khamenei (Son) or Alireza Arafi (favored by Clergy) |
| Current Status | State of War. Iran has launched ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv and US bases in Iraq; Israel is engaging targets in Lebanon and Syria. |
| Global Impact | Oil prices surged $15/barrel overnight; US/UK advising immediate evacuation from Lebanon and UAE. |
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