Iran vows revenge aftersupreme leader assassinated

Leadership council formed to guide nation; Trump claims 48 Iranian leaders killed in one go; Iranian strikes kill 9

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN:

Iran pledged retaliation following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint US and Israeli air strike, as authorities quickly formed an interim leadership structure to guide the country through the ongoing crisis.

State media described the assassination as a defining attack on the Islamic Republic's political and religious leadership. President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that avenging Khamenei's death was both "a duty and a right of the nation".

As the war entered its second day, Israeli forces launched a fresh wave of strikes on Tehran, declaring that the goal was to dominate the skies. Iran, in return, fired missiles at several neighbouring countries and struck at least two ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media confirmed that the 86-year-old supreme leader died while working in his central leadership compound, alongside family members including his daughter and grandchildren. Pezeshkian described the strike as war against all Muslims.

In televised remarks, Pezeshkian said: "The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its legitimate duty and right to avenge the perpetrators and masterminds of this historic crime." He added that it was a "declaration of war against Muslims", particularly targeting the Shia community.

Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said in remarks directed at Trump and his close ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Iran's retaliation against the United States and Israel would be fierce.

"We will strike you with such terrifying blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg. I say to Trump and Netanyahu and their agents and proxies, I repeat, I say to these two filthy criminals and to all their agents: you have crossed our red line, and you must pay the price for it."

Iranian security chief Ali Larijani warned that the country would strike its enemies with unprecedented force. "We will hit them with such terrifying blows that they will beg for mercy," Larijani said in televised remarks.

Iran's security leadership moved quickly to ensure continuity of governance. An interim council was formed comprising the president, the head of the judiciary and a representative from the Guardian Council.

Cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi was named to the leadership council, which will govern until the Assembly of Experts selects a permanent supreme leader. The government announced a 40-day mourning period along with seven days of public holidays to honour Khamenei.

Thousands of mourners, meanwhile, gathered in central squares of Tehran, carrying portraits of the late leader and chanting slogans against the US and Israel. However, public sentiment inside Iran appeared divided, as some anti-government citizens were reported celebrating.

The joint US-Israeli campaign, code-named "Operation Epic Fury", killed Khamenei along with several senior military and intelligence commanders. Trump said in an interview on Sunday that "nobody can believe the success we're having, 48 leaders are gone in one shot."

Meanwhile, Israeli forces launched a fresh wave of strikes on Tehran, declaring the goal was to dominate its skies. Officials claimed the air operations destroyed roughly half of Iran's missile stockpiles and dismantled defence networks across western and central Iran.

The Pentagon said three US service members were killed and five seriously wounded during the operations. US military officials confirmed continuing combat missions, describing the campaign as ongoing and aimed at degrading Iranian command structures.

Iran responded with widespread missile attacks across the region. Israel's ambulance service reported nine deaths in Beit Shemesh. Explosions were also reported in Dubai, Doha, Manama and Riyadh, where casualties were recorded.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported three deaths and dozens injured since Iranian strikes began. Kuwait confirmed one death and 32 injuries, while some victims in the region were foreign nationals.

Regional aviation and port infrastructure also suffered damage. Facilities in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other Gulf cities were hit by debris from intercepted drones and missiles. Operations at the Jebel Ali port zone were temporarily paused as a precaution.

Shipping routes were severely disrupted after attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared the passage closed. Major shipping companies, including Maersk and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, suspended regional operations.

Oil tankers were clustered in open waters off the coasts of major Gulf oil producers including Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as well as LNG giant Qatar, according to ship-tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform.

Two commercial vessels were struck in separate incidents. One tanker off Oman caught fire but the blaze was later controlled. Iranian state media claimed another tanker was sinking after attempting to transit the strategic waterway.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards also said they had launched an attack on the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles, though the US military said it had sunk an Iranian ship.

Cybersecurity incidents accompanied the military escalation. Several Iranian websites and a religious calendar application with more than five million downloads were hacked, displaying messages urging Iranian forces to disarm. Internet connectivity in Iran has dropped sharply.

President Trump warned that Washington would strike Iran with "force that has never been seen before" if retaliation continued. He also said during interviews that military operations against Iran were "ahead of schedule" and moving rapidly.