Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vow retaliation after death of Supreme Leader Khamenei
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on Sunday vowed sweeping retaliation against the United States and Israel after state television confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hours after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had killed the 86-year-old cleric, media reports said.
In a statement posted on Telegram, the Guards warned that “the most ferocious offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces will begin any moment now,” threatening strikes on what it described as “occupied territories and American terrorist bases” across the region.
“The hand of revenge of the Iranian nation will not let go of the murderers of the Imam of the Ummah,” the statement said, promising a “severe, decisive and regrettable punishment.”
Unlike Iran’s conventional military, which operates under the Defence Ministry, the IRGC answers directly to the supreme leader, giving the threat heightened significance.
Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989 and was a central figure in shaping the Islamic Republic into a regional power, was killed in the opening phase of a massive US-Israeli military assault that continued into a second day on Sunday.
The operation, according to officials, was aimed at toppling Iran’s ruling establishment.
Trump described Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in history” and said the strikes would continue until the fall of the Islamic Republic.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country,” he said, urging Iranian security forces to stand down.
The Israeli military confirmed fresh waves of missile launches from Iran, triggering air-raid sirens across several parts of the country. Israel’s armed forces said their air units were “operating to intercept and strike,” while Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the operation was unfolding “on a completely different scale” from last year’s 12-day conflict between the two nations.
Airspace closures were announced across Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, the UAE and Israel, as airlines cancelled flights amid escalating hostilities.
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter were also killed in the strikes. Senior Iranian official Ali Larijani, a prominent survivor and head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, vowed defiance.
“The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will teach an unforgettable lesson to the international oppressors,” he said.
Israel said two other top Iranian figures were also killed: Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei, and Mohammad Pakpour, the head of the Revolutionary Guards.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes across the Middle East, killing at least two people in Abu Dhabi and one in Tel Aviv, as explosions rocked major Gulf cities.
The assault came just weeks after Iranian authorities violently suppressed mass protests at home, and hours after Trump’s envoys had held talks with Iran’s foreign minister in Geneva.
Trump later made clear that the objective of the attack was regime change rather than reviving negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly addressed Iranians, urging them to rise up. “This is your time to overthrow the regime and secure your future,” he said.
As explosions again echoed across Tehran in the early hours of Sunday, fears mounted that the conflict could spiral into a wider regional war.
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