Iran: US, Israel launch another strikes, Commander, Defence leader, five other top officials killed

Iran: US, Israel launch another strikes, Commander, Defence leader, five other top officials killed

The United States and Israel launched another round of strikes early Sunday morning local time, officials said.

Iranian state media confirmed the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with the death of two officials in the US and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday.

US President Donald Trump said in a social media post late Saturday afternoon that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” of Iran would “continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary.”

The new explosions came after a day of deadly Iranian strikes in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi. Military bases and infrastructure, including airports, were hit across the Gulf — with the exception of mediator Oman.

Trump earlier said the operation was to “prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests.”

He called on Iran’s military forces to lay down their weapons, and the Iran’s civilians to rise up and “take over your government.”

Fresh blasts were heard across the Gulf cities of Dubai, Doha and Manama on Sunday morning after a day of Iran strikes in the region in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks.

READ ALSO:

• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Dies After U.S.–Israeli Strikes
• Trump Urges Iranians to Overthrow Government Amid US-Israeli Attacks
• Reports: US Forces Join Israeli Offensive Against Iran

AFP reporters heard blasts in Dubai, in the UAE, in Doha, Qatar, and in Manama, Bahrain, where sirens were activated.

Across the UAE, Iran fired 137 missiles and 209 drones at the territory, the country’s defense ministry said, with fires and smoke reaching landmarks The Palm and Burj Al Arab.

At Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi Airport, where one person was killed, authorities reported “incidents,” while Kuwait’s airport was also hit.

Iranian state media outlet IRNA confirmed the deaths of Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Iranian Defence Council, and Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Israel Defense Forces earlier said Shamkhani and Pakpour were among seven Iranian officials killed in the airstrikes.

The IDF also reported the deaths of Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh; Saleh Asadi, head of the Intelligence Directorate of the Khatam al-Anbiya emergency command; Mohammad Shirazi, head of the Military Bureau; Hossein Jabal Amelian, chairman of the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research; and Reza Mozaffari-Nia, former chairman of the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research.

Trump said Khamenei was killed along with other top leaders. State media has also confirmed Khamenei’s death.

“The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone,” Trump told NBC News in a phone call, adding that “a large amount of leadership” in Iran was also killed, although he declined to go into details.

CBS reports that around 40 Iranian officials were killed in the air raids.

Israel said it killed several top officials, including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which vowed to unleash “the most devastating offensive operation” against US bases and Israel

Iranian retaliatory strikes were earlier reported in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait – places with US military bases, or that are allied to the US

More than 200 people have been killed across Iran, the Red Crescent says. At least 108 were killed when US and Israeli strikes hit a girls’ school, Iran says.