US and Israel Launch "Operation Epic Fury," Killing Iran's Supreme Leader and Sparking Regional Retaliation

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initiated a new war against Iran on Saturday morning, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by the US and "Lion's Roar" by Israel. The offensive, launched without congressional authorization, resulted in the deaths of four US troops and over 550 Iranians, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The timing of the attack was reportedly influenced by intelligence regarding a meeting of top Iranian officials, including Khamenei, at a leadership compound in Tehran.

Israeli officials confirmed Khamenei's death hours after the initial assault, a confirmation later echoed by Trump and Iranian officials. Other high-ranking Iranian officials, including Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour, were also killed. The four US casualties occurred during Iran's initial retaliatory strikes across the region, which also wounded four other US and allied personnel.

The conflict has triggered widespread regional blowback, with at least 10 deaths in Israel and five across the Gulf from Iranian counterattacks. Protests in Pakistan led to 23 fatalities after demonstrators breached the US Consulate in Karachi. A British airbase in Cyprus was hit by a drone, and a tanker linked to US naval vessels was struck in Bahrain. In a separate incident, Kuwaiti air defense systems mistakenly shot down three US F-15 fighter jets, though all six aircrew safely ejected and were recovered.