Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, was killed in a coordinated military operation conducted jointly by the United States and Israel, according to multiple reports from Indian Express, Le Monde, and WGN-TV. The operation, referred to as 'Operation Epic Fury' by US sources and 'Operation Lion's Roar' by Israeli outlets, marks a significant escalation in the long-standing shadow conflict between Iran and its adversaries. The strike has been confirmed by several international news organizations, though operational specifics, including location and method, remain partially unverified. The assassination has triggered immediate geopolitical consequences, with Iran's political and military leadership assessing retaliatory options while managing internal succession dynamics.
In the aftermath, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi issued a formal statement warning that the United States would face consequences for its role in the operation, particularly referencing the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka. That naval engagement, confirmed by Indian Express and ABC Australia, resulted in the deaths of over 80 Iranian sailors and has further inflamed tensions in the Indian Ocean region. The US military has not officially confirmed responsibility for the sinking, but the incident is widely attributed to a submarine-launched attack. Concurrently, NATO reported intercepting an unidentified missile object near Turkish airspace, which Iran has formally denied launching, according to Al Jazeera.