The Iranian state media has confirmed the killing of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei early Sunday by the United States – Israeli coordinated military offensive.
The “Operation Epic Furry” monitored in Uyo, South – South Nigeria, reports say the 86 year old spiritual and political head of the Islamic Republic since 1989, died with some of his high military commanders in a strike that targeted senior leadership compounds in Tehran on Saturday February 28, 2026.
Already, the Iranian government has announced 40 days of national mourning and seven days of public holiday in a broadcast confirmation of Khamenei’s death, underlining the gravity of the blow to the theocratic regime.
U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly declared Khamenei’s death on social media, calling it a pivotal moment in the conflict and “justice for the people of Iran, Americans and others harmed by Khamenei regime.”
He framed the broad military campaign code-named “Operation Epic Fury”, as an effort to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and weaken its grip on power.
Also, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the assessment, asserting that, the strikes had eliminated key leadership figures and urging Iranians to seize the moment to determine their country’s future.
The offensive, which began on February 28, 2026, involved waves of U.S. and Israeli air power and missile strikes on hundreds of targets across Iran, including air defense installations, missile launchers, command and control centers.
Iranian forces incidentally responded with missile and drone barrages against U.S. military bases in the Gulf and civilian areas in Israel and neighbouring states, intensifying fears of a wider regional conflagration.
Despite the ferocity of exchanges, U.S. Central Command reported no American casualties in the Saturday’s “Operation Epic Furry” offensive.
The sudden removal of Khamenei, a central figure in shaping Iran’s foreign policy and regional alliances leaves a leadership vacuum at the heart of the Islamic Republic, with no immediate successor announced.
Analysts warned that, the absence of clear leadership could fuel instability inside Iran and across the Middle East.
Across the region and around the world, governments have called for restraint even as hostilities continue, with global markets and diplomatic circles closely monitoring the evolving dramatic situation.
Meanwhile, both President Trump and Israeli PM, Netanyahu have cautioned their citizens to observe safety protocols, as the Iranian military remnants may have wished pockets of retaliation in the coming days, even as America and Israel have promised effective and sustained military resistance with air power.
