Iran Faces Turmoil After US-Israel Strikes Target Supreme Leader Khamenei

Tehran, March 1 (TNA) Tensions in the Middle East have escalated dramatically following joint US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on Saturday, with conflicting reports surrounding Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s fate. US President Donald Trump claimed Khamenei was killed, while Iranian officials denied it, though no public appearance from the 86-year-old leader has been confirmed since the attacks. Explosions rocked Tehran and other cities, causing significant casualties and prompting Iranian retaliation across the region.

The attacks hit over 20 Iranian cities, including a girls’ school in Minab that killed 85 people, amid a nationwide blackout and airspace closure. Iranian media reported more than 200 deaths overall, targeting political and military leaders alongside Khamenei’s compound. Israel confirmed strikes near Khamenei’s residence during a meeting with his inner circle, with satellite imagery showing extensive damage.

Trump hailed Khamenei’s purported death as a chance for Iranians to “reclaim their Country,” aiming for regime change, but experts warn it could lead to harder-line rule by the Revolutionary Guard. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokespeople insisted Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are “safe and sound,” yet no video or address has materialised. Israeli officials, including PM Netanyahu, cited “signs” of his death without full confirmation.

Iran grapples with prior nationwide protests since late 2025 over economic collapse, inflation, and rial devaluation, now intensified by war losses and sanctions. Khamenei had denounced protesters as “vandals” backed by the US and Israel, amid at least 48 deaths and an internet blackout. Succession concerns loomed even before strikes, given his frailty post-2025 bunker survival.