The Middle East has been thrust into its most dangerous crisis in decades after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint United States and Israeli strikes on Tehran.
The attack, ordered by Donald Trump and carried out alongside forces loyal to Benjamin Netanyahu, marked a dramatic escalation in a long-running confrontation over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its regional influence.
Within hours, Iran retaliated with missiles and drones across the Gulf, pulling multiple countries into a widening conflict and raising fears of a prolonged war.
This is how the confrontation unfolded, how it has reshaped the region, and what may happen next.
How the strikes began
In the early hours of Saturday, United States and Israeli forces launched what officials described as a coordinated campaign against Iran’s missile infrastructure, military installations, and senior leadership compounds in Tehran and other cities.
Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989, was killed when his residential compound was struck in the first wave. Iranian state media later confirmed his death.
The Israel Defense Forces said several senior figures were also killed, including commanders within the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran has since appointed a new commander as it attempts to stabilise its chain of command.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, hundreds of people have died in strikes across more than 100 locations. Iranian officials say civilian areas were hit, including a school near a military site in the south of the country. Internet access has been heavily restricted, and Iranian airspace remains closed.
Washington says the operation, named Operation Epic Fury, is designed to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and has condemned the attacks as illegal and unprovoked.
Trump has said the operation aims to “ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon”.
“We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally obliterated again,” he said in an eight-minute video posted on Truth Social on Saturday morning.
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Why now
The decision followed weeks of tense diplomacy. American and Iranian negotiators had been discussing limits on Tehran’s nuclear programme. Israeli officials were sceptical that talks would succeed and argued that Iran’s leadership was vulnerable.
According to US officials, Trump concluded that negotiations would not deliver what he wanted, particularly Iran’s acceptance of zero nuclear enrichment. In a video statement, he warned Iran’s armed forces to stand down or face destruction and urged Iranians to rise against the clerical establishment.
Netanyahu described the joint campaign as an effort to remove what he called an existential threat to Israel. Critics in Washington and abroad argue the move risks igniting a regional war with unpredictable consequences.
How Iran responded
Iran’s response was swift and wide-ranging. Ballistic missiles and drones were launched towards Israel and towards countries hosting US forces, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Air defence systems were activated across the Gulf.
In Israel, residential areas were struck, causing civilian casualties. Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets from southern Lebanon into northern Israel, prompting further Israeli air strikes.
A British military facility at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was hit by a drone, according to the UK Ministry of Defence, though no fatalities were reported. Shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz have come under threat, raising concerns about global energy supplies.
The United States Central Command said it had struck Iranian naval assets in the Gulf of Oman. Trump claimed Iran’s naval headquarters had been destroyed.
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What are the risks?
The conflict now stretches from the eastern Mediterranean to the Gulf. Several countries that were not direct participants at the outset have been drawn in by geography and alliances.
Iran retains the capacity to launch further missile attacks and to mobilise proxy groups across Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Israel has signalled it will continue targeting Iranian assets. The United States has deployed additional naval and air power to the region.
Oil price has increased. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, and thi has caused a strain on fragile economies worldwide.
There is also uncertainty inside Iran. Analysts differ on whether the death of Khamenei will weaken the system or harden it. Some believe it could trigger internal power struggles within the Revolutionary Guard. Others warn it may strengthen hardliners who argue the West seeks regime change.
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How long could it last
Much depends on political calculations in Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran.
Trump has indicated the campaign could continue for weeks if Iran does not abandon its nuclear ambitions. Israeli officials say operations will persist until Iran’s military capabilities are severely degraded. Iranian leaders have vowed resistance.
Diplomatic channels have not entirely closed, but prospects for immediate talks appear slim. Regional powers are urging restraint behind the scenes, fearing a wider war that could engulf the Middle East.
For now, the region stands at a crossroads. What began as a targeted strike on Iran’s leadership has evolved into a volatile confrontation with global implications.
