US-Israel Strike Iran, Khamenei Dead
US and Israel launched "Operation Epic Fury" strikes on Iran targeting military sites, with Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei reportedly martyred per PressTV. Iran retaliated against US bases in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, prompting UN Security Council emergency session and 8 countries to close airspace. EU's von der Leyen called special meeting on Iran escalation.
The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled for nearly 37 years, triggers a constitutional succession process. An 88-member Assembly of Experts is tasked with selecting the next Supreme Leader. In the interim, a temporary council consisting of the president, the judiciary chief, and a senior cleric is mandated to assume his duties. Potential successors who had been previously discussed include Khamenei's second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, and the current head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is expected to have significant influence over the final decision made by the Assembly of Experts. This direct confrontation follows years of a "shadow war" that had already escalated with events like the "Twelve-Day War" in June 2025. That conflict included "Operation Midnight Hammer," a US-led attack on three of Iran's nuclear facilities which reportedly set the program back by about two years. Previous Israeli strikes in 2024 also targeted Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure. Iran’s military strategy relies on asymmetric warfare to counter its conventional weaknesses. It has developed one of the region's most formidable missile and drone arsenals and leverages a network of proxy forces, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, to project power and deter attacks. The Iranian retaliation targeted a significant U.S. military presence in the Gulf. This includes Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which houses the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command and around 10,000 troops, and the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Other key installations hit were Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. An emergency special session of the UN General Assembly can be convened within 24 hours if requested by a majority of members or nine members of the Security Council. Meanwhile, the European Union's response may be complicated by historical internal divisions on Middle East policy, which have often hampered its ability to act with a unified voice.
