Developing: Khamenei Confirmed Dead as Iran Retaliates Across Gulf States and US-Israel Launch Fresh Strikes on Tehran
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been confirmed dead by Iranian state media following joint US-Israeli strikes dubbed Operation Epic Fury, triggering one of the most consequential geopolitical crises since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Islamic Republic has responded with waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel and at least six Gulf states hosting US military assets, killing and injuring civilians as far as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. As of Sunday, March 1, 2026, the conflict shows no signs of abating. Israel announced fresh strikes "in the heart of Tehran" while Iran vowed further retaliation. An interim Leadership Council has been hastily assembled in Tehran, with senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi named alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei to oversee the supreme leader's duties until a permanent successor is chosen. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has also appointed a new commander in chief, Ahmad Vahidi, after its previous commander General Mohammad Pakpour was killed in the strikes. The scale of the conflict has sent shockwaves through global markets and aviation networks, with more than 1,400 flights cancelled across the Middle East on Sunday alone. Iran's internet has been down for over 24 hours, severely limiting the flow of information from inside the country. World leaders, from Beijing to London, are scrambling to assess the fallout as the prospect of a full-scale US-Iran war becomes increasingly real.