Israel-Iran War Erupts
Israel and the US launched massive airstrikes inside Iran including Tehran, with reports that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in what's described as a 'maximalist' regime change operation. Iran's Red Crescent reports 555 deaths across 24 provinces, while Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel injuring 15 in Be'er Sheva. This marks the largest US military mobilization since the 2003 Iraq invasion.
For decades, this conflict was a "shadow war" fought through proxies, cyberattacks, and assassinations. Iran armed and funded groups like Lebanon's Hezbollah and Palestine's Hamas, while Israel was blamed for killing Iranian nuclear scientists and conducting covert operations. The fighting escalated into direct, open confrontations in 2024, when the two countries exchanged missile strikes for the first time. This was followed by a 12-day war in June 2025, after Israel launched a preemptive operation against Iranian nuclear facilities. The reported death of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who held the ultimate authority on all state matters in Iran since 1989, creates a significant power vacuum. An 88-member clerical body called the Assembly of Experts is tasked with choosing his successor, a process that could be fraught with internal power struggles. The U.S.
