The Middle East is boiling: Iran's brutal retaliation underway; U.S. soldiers killed; Israelis strike Tehran

Iran has officially confirmed that the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

It has been confirmed - he's dead

Recap

The U.S. and Israel carried out heavy bombardment on Iran. Unconfirmed reports emerged of the deaths of numerous Iranian military and civilian officials, as well as ordinary citizens.

Among those killed was Ayatollah Khamenei himself. Iranians initially claimed that news of his death was false, but eventually confirmed it themselves.

In response to the attack, Iran targeted the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and, of course, Israel.

Stunning images of the Burj Dubai in flames and rockets over the Burj Khalifa circulated around the world.

 

Supreme leader killed in his Tehran complex

The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed in his complex in the capital, Tehran, Iranian state media reported.

Khamenei was killed “in his office at the residence” while “carrying out his duties” at the time of the attack early on Saturday, according to the state-run Fars news agency.

Satellite images showed black smoke rising above the Supreme Leader’s complex in Tehran following the attack. The footage revealed that several buildings within the complex were heavily damaged in the strikes.

The complex is located in central Tehran, near the university. It serves as the site for key decision-making and is the main center of power for the theocratic leadership of the Islamic Republic.

IRGC mourns “Great Leader,” Vows revenge

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps reacted to Khamenei’s death with a statement saying it has “lost a great leader and mourns him,” according to the Fars news agency.

The statement added that his “martyrdom at the hands of the most cruel terrorists and oppressors of humanity is a sign of the legitimacy of this great leader and the recognition of his sincere merits.”

It also stated that “the hand of vengeance of the Iranian people… will not let them go unpunished.”

The Revolutionary Guard vowed to remain “steadfast in confronting domestic and foreign conspiracies”, the statement said.