Tehran, Iran – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed after Israel and the US launched a massive attack against Iran’s leadership and military, Iran’s state media confirmed early morning on Sunday.

Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, targeting Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Israel.

On Sunday, Israel said it had launched fresh attacks on ‘the heart of Tehran’, as Iranian attacks across the region also continued.

Senior Iranian figures killed

Aziz Nasirzadeh, Defence Minister; Mohammad Pakpour, IRGC Commander-in-Chief; Ali Shamkhani, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Security Adviser; and Gen Abdul Rahim Mousavi, Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff, were killed in the attacks. IRNA said more commanders of the armed forces have been killed, whose names have not yet been announced.

Alireza Arafi named in Iran leadership council

Alireza ⁠Arafi, a religious leader on the Guardian Council, has been appointed to ⁠Iran’s leadership council, the body tasked with fulfilling the supreme leader’s role until the Assembly of Experts elects a new leader. ⁠Arafi will be ⁠part of the ⁠temporary leadership council alongside President Pezeshkian and Supreme Court Chief Justice Mohseni Ejei.