US-Israeli war against Iran begins as Khamenei reported killed

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader for over three decades, was killed in a coordinated US-Israeli military strike on February 28, 2026. President Trump announced the operation’s success the same day and declared that bombing would continue, marking the most dramatic escalation in Middle Eastern conflict since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The strikes began at approximately 1 a.m. local time, targeting Khamenei’s compound along with other key military and leadership sites across Iran. The initial wave of attacks killed at least 201 people and injured more than 700, according to reports from the region. Several high-ranking Iranian military officials were among the dead. A war months in the making The February 2026 operation did not emerge from a vacuum. The conflict traces back to earlier strikes in June 2025 that targeted Iranian nuclear sites, a campaign that set the stage for the broader military confrontation that followed. Trump called on Iranians to “seize control of their government” in the aftermath, framing the operation as liberation rather than aggression. Leadership transition under fire Iranian state media confirmed Khamenei’s death on March 1, 2026, one day aft...