Ayatollah Khamenei Killed In US-Israel Strikes: What Next?
US-Israel strikes that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader have triggered major retaliation and raised fears of a wider Middle East war.
Tensions in the region have sharply escalated after US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a joint military operation against Iran, triggering fears of a wider conflict.
On 28 February 2026, the US and Israel carried out coordinated airstrikes across Iran, including the capital Tehran. According to reports, the strikes targeted top Iranian leadership, and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in the attack. Images of President Trump monitoring the operation were later shared by the White House.
Soon after, Iran retaliated by launching missile attacks on Israel, most of which were intercepted. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian strongly condemned the killing and called it a declaration of war. Reports suggest intelligence inputs from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Mossad helped locate key Iranian targets.
The conflict quickly spread across the region. Iran launched missiles and drones towards several Gulf locations and even targeted areas near the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, though most attacks were intercepted. UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan warned Iran to avoid dragging neighbouring countries into the conflict.
Iran has also begun actions near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of disruption to global oil supply. After the developments, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level security meeting in New Delhi to review the situation.
With casualties reported in Iran, Israel and among US forces, and tensions rising across the Gulf, the situation remains highly volatile and the world is closely watching the next move from all sides.
