A day after the joint strikes by the United States (US) and Israel killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday released a footage of the precision strikes on the Iranian Supreme Leader's headquarters in Tehran. The video, which was shared on social media website X (previously called Twitter), showed the exact moment on which the IDF dropped bombs on Khamenei's headquarters that led to his killing.
"WATCH: For the first time since the start of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’, the IAF is striking targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran. Over the past day, the IAF conducted large-scale strikes to establish aerial superiority and pave the path to Tehran," the IDF said, while sharing the video on the micro-blogging website.
A regional war in Gulf
Khamenei's death has sparked a regional war, with Iran strongly retaliating to the joint American-Israel strikes and targeting US bases in the entire Gulf, including Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other nations. Iran has also struck the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly targeting the capital city of Abu Dhabi and the financial hub of Dubai.
Iran's strikes have drawn criticism from Middle East countries, though, the Islamic Republic has justified its strikes. "The assassination of the highest political authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a prominent leader of Shiism worldwide... is perceived as an open declaration of war against Muslims, and particularly against Shiites, everywhere in the world," Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a statement.
Trump's warning to Iran
While Iran has vowed to strongly retaliate to the US-Israel strikes, President Donald Trump has issued another warning to the Islamic Republic and said that Washington will "strike back with a force that has never been seen before". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also warned the Iranian regime and urged the Iranians to rise up against the current government and take the power into their hands.
Meanwhile, global leaders, particularly the Gulf countries, have called for a de-escalation. India has also said that all sides should resolve their differences via dialogue and diplomacy.
