The council — composed of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, hard-line judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and a Guardian Council representative selected by the Expediency Council — is enshrined in Iranian law as a transitional body until a permanent supreme leader is named.
State media also confirmed the deaths of Revolutionary Guard commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour and top security adviser Ali Shamkhani in the strikes.
Pezeshkian, a reformist who won the presidency on promises of easing social restrictions and reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, sits alongside Ejei, a hard-liner with deep ties to Iran’s security apparatus who has overseen the prosecution of political dissidents and protesters.
The joint U.S.-Israeli operation, planned for months according to officials, struck Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields across Iran.
President Donald Trump justified the operation as necessary to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear capabilities, after intelligence showed the country had developed the capability to produce its own high-quality centrifuges — a critical step toward weapons-grade enriched uranium.
In addition to Khamenei, Israel said it killed Iran’s defense minister and the secretary of the Iranian Security Council. U.S. Central Command reported no American casualties despite what it described as “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks” in retaliation.
Iran’s counterassault was swift and broad. Missiles and drones were launched toward Israel and U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. Saudi Arabia said Iran targeted its capital and eastern region in an attack that was repelled.
Jordan intercepted 49 drones and ballistic missiles.
At least 115 people were reported killed when a girls’ school in southern Iran was struck — U.S. Central Command said it was aware of the reports and investigating. At least 15 more were killed in the southwest, according to Iranian state media.
President Donald Trump on Truth Social, in part: “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS. He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.
We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in video message posted to X, in part: “For 47 years, the Ayatollah regime has chanted ‘Death to Israel’ and ‘Death to America.’ It has spilled our blood, murdered many Americans, and slaughtered its own people,” adding, “This morning, in a powerful surprise attack we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei in the heart of Tehran. For three and a half decades, this cruel tyrant has exported terror around the world, made his people miserable and worked tirelessly on the plan to destroy Israel. That plan is no more. And there are many signs that the tyrant himself is no more….. Discover More
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