Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes, Iranian state media reported on Sunday, marking a dramatic escalation in the conflict that has spread across West Asia.
State television said several members of Khamenei’s family were also killed in the attack. U.S. President Donald Trump earlier wrote on social media that Khamenei was dead, describing him as “one of the most evil people in history”.
Khamenei, 86, had led Iran since 1989 and held ultimate authority over the country’s government and armed forces.
The reported killing came hours after Washington and Tel Aviv launched coordinated strikes targeting what they described as Iranian military and nuclear-linked facilities. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the Gulf and other parts of West Asia.
Authorities in Dubai said an incident in the Palm Jumeirah area caused a fire and injured four people, while four others were hurt at Dubai International Airport. Israeli forces said they were carrying out a fresh wave of strikes against Iranian ballistic missile and air defence systems.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said Tehran considered attacks on U.S. and Israeli bases in the region part of its right to self-defence. He accused Israel of committing war crimes, saying an Israeli strike in southern Iran had killed more than 100 children at a school in Hormozgan province. Reuters could not independently verify the claim.
Israel’s emergency services said a woman was killed in the Tel Aviv area following Iranian missile fire.
India said it was “deeply concerned” about the escalating situation. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation and ensure the safety of civilians. It said Indian missions in Tehran and Tel Aviv were in touch with Indian nationals and had issued advisories asking them to remain vigilant.
With large parts of regional airspace affected, airlines including Indian carriers cancelled or diverted flights to avoid conflict zones. India’s aviation regulator issued a safety advisory asking airlines to avoid airspace over several West Asian countries until further notice.
The latest flare-up comes amid long-running tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme. Israel has repeatedly said Tehran is close to developing a nuclear weapon, a charge Iran denies, insisting its programme is for civilian purposes.
The United States, which backs Israel’s security, had earlier joined Israeli operations against Iranian targets, including nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Esfahan. While Trump had said those strikes had destroyed Iran’s nuclear capabilities, U.S. intelligence assessments indicated the programme had only been set back by months.
In June, Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire after nearly two weeks of hostilities, but both sides later accused each other of violations. The current round of attacks signals a sharp deterioration in an already volatile regional standoff, with potential implications for global energy markets and the safety of expatriates, including thousands of Indians living and working in the Gulf.