Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a precision strike by the United States (US) and Israel on Saturday, sparking a regional war in the Middle East. The 86-year-old, who was the second supreme leader of Iran, was present at his compound during the strikes.
According to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Khamenei’s compound was targeted by the Israeli Air Force in a “precise, large-scale operation”. The strike was conducted only after accurate intelligence was provided to the IDF about his compound, in which other senior Iranian officials were also present.
“Ali Khamenei was targeted in a precise, large-scale operation carried out by the Israeli Air Force, guided by accurate IDF intelligence, while he was in his central leadership compound in the heart of Tehran, where he was together with additional senior officials,” the IDF said, as reported by The Times of Israel.
‘Khamenei responsible for violent repression of Iranians’
In its statement, the IDF said the Iranian Supreme Leader was responsible for the violent repression of Iranians since he came to power in 1989, and he was also the architect of the plan to “destroy Israel”. The precision strike by the US and Israel, the IDF said, has ended a decades-long chapter of the Iranian terror axis.ย ย
Khamenei was “known as the โhead of the Iranian octopus,โ extending its arms throughout the Middle East and to the borders of the State of Israel,” the IDF said. “The supreme leader of the Iranian regime was responsible for terrorist attacks against the State of Israel, and the blood of many civilians from around the world was on his hands.”
Israel to continue strikes against Iran
Although Khamenei has been eliminated, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that the IDF would continue striking targets of the Iranian regime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also urged the Iranians to stand against the current regime and take control of the government.
Their reactions are supported by US President Donald Trump, who also warned Iran against any kind of retaliation. Since Khamenei’s killing, Iran has been trying to US bases in the region, including those in Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
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