Israeli officials say Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei is dead no word from US or Iran

    Dubai, Mar 1 (AP) Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the United States, Israeli officials told The Associated Press on Saturday.
    There was no immediate comment from the US or Iran on his status. The assassination of the second leader of the Islamic Republic, who had no designated successor, would throw its future into doubt and raise the prospect of a protracted conflict given Iranian threats of retaliation.
    In a nationally televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had been killed when Israel struck his compound early Saturday.
    Shortly after the address, two Israeli officials said Israel had confirmed his death. The officials both spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement and gave no further details.
    Khamenei succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He had the final say on all major policies, leading Iran's clerical establishment and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard – the two main centres of power in the country's theocracy.
    As the attack on Iran unfolded, President Donald Trump urged the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against the Islamic leadership. In a video announcing the “major combat operations,” Trump told Iranians that “when we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
    Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, on Saturday evening said at least 201 people had been killed and more than 700 injured. Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and US military bases in the region, and exchanges of fire continued into the night.
    Some of the first strikes on Iran appeared to hit near the offices of the 86-year-old Khamenei. Before Israeli officials confirmed the death, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were alive “as far as I know." He called the attack “unprovoked, illegal and absolutely illegitimate.”
    The strikes during the holy fasting month of Ramadan opened a stunning new chapter in US intervention in Iran, marking the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has attacked the Islamic Republic during talks over its nuclear programme.
    About 12 hours after the attacks began, the US military reported no US casualties and minimal damage at US bases despite “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.” It said targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.
    The targets included various members of Iran's leadership, according to a US official and another person briefed on the attacks who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation. There was no immediate information on whether other top officials were killed.
    Even if Iran's top leaders are killed, regime change is not guaranteed.
    Democrats decried that Trump had taken action without congressional authorization. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the administration had briefed several Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress in advance.
    The UN Security Council said it would meet Saturday afternoon. The UN's nuclear watchdog said on X it was closely monitoring developments and had seen “no evidence of radiological impact.”
    Iran was in a “near-total internet blackout,” advocacy group NetBlocks said.
    
    Months of rising tensions
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     Tensions have soared in recent weeks as American warships moved into the region. Trump said he wanted a deal to constrain Iran's nuclear program, as the country struggles with growing dissent following nationwide protests.
    The trigger for Saturday's strikes appeared to be the unsuccessful latest round of nuclear talks on Thursday. They also reflected dramatic changes that have left Iran's leadership in its weakest position since the Islamic Revolution nearly half a century ago.
    Israeli and American strikes last June greatly weakened Iran's air defenses, military leadership and nuclear program. A regionwide conflict sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel has left Iran's network of proxies across the Middle East greatly weakened. US sanctions and global isolation have decimated Iran's economy.
    Iran responded to the latest strikes by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel and strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Israel's military said Iran fired “dozens” of missiles at Israel, with many intercepted. Emergency responder Magen David Adom noted 89 “lightly injured” people.(AP) RD
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)