Khamenei’s Death Triggers Regional Retaliation as US-Israel Strike Sparks Missile Exchange

After a joint U.S.-Israel operation killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran vowed retaliation and fired missiles at Israel and Gulf states, while Israel and the U.S. said they struck Iranian targets in response. Reports include a Tel Aviv-area fatality and claims of hundreds of casualties in Iran from a girls’ school strike, highlighting a rapid escalation with potential for a wider regional conflict and possible spillovers to markets and security in the Middle East.