Iran has named Alireza Arafi to its interim leadership council following the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in coordinated US and Israeli strikes.
The announcement was made by the Expediency Discernment Council, which confirmed that Arafi would serve alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and the head of the judiciary until the Assembly of Experts elects a permanent leader.
Tehran described Khamenei’s killing as a “declaration of war,” vowing decisive retaliation. Iran’s military said it struck US bases in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and in Gulf countries, while air raid sirens sounded in Israel after missiles were launched toward its territory.
Explosions were also reported in parts of the Gulf, including the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, as regional tensions surged. Israeli forces confirmed detecting incoming Iranian missiles, escalating fears of a broader Middle East conflict.
Iranian officials warned of unprecedented retaliation against the United States and Israel, as diplomatic fallout widened across the region.
