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3. Iranian Supreme Leader Reportedly Targeted in U.S.-Israeli Strikes

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were reportedly targeted in coordinated U.S.–Israeli strikes, according to Israeli and international media reports, marking a dramatic escalation in the unfolding regional confrontation.

Reuters, citing an Israeli official, reported that both leaders were among the intended targets of the strikes. The outcome of the attacks remains unclear, and there has been no official confirmation regarding their condition.

In the same context, Israeli Channel 12 reported that there is a high likelihood, according to Israeli assessments, that Ali Shamkhani was killed in the strikes. The report described the assessment as preliminary and did not provide further details. There has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding Shamkhani’s status. 

Israeli Channel 15 also reported, citing an official, that an attempt was made to target former Iranian President Ahmadinejad.

According to a report by Axios, U.S. strikes are focused on Iran’s missile program and missile launchers, while the Israeli strikes are focused on eliminating senior Iranian officials and on the missile program.

Reports of Senior IRGC Casualties

Reuters also reported that several senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with political officials, were killed in the joint strikes. Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed these reports.

Amid speculation over the status of senior Iranian officials, Tehran confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is alive.

Israel Issues Evacuation Warning Across Iran

In an unprecedented move, the Israeli military issued an urgent public warning directed at individuals located “inside or near Iranian military industry facilities and military infrastructure across Iran.”

The statement called on civilians to evacuate those areas immediately and remain outside them until further notice, a tactic similar to evacuation warnings Israel has previously issued ahead of strikes in Lebanon and Gaza.

The warning signals the possibility of continued or expanded Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s military-industrial infrastructure.

Tehran Threatens Regional Retaliation

In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned that Tehran would target “all U.S. bases in the region,” raising the prospect of further direct confrontation with American forces stationed across the Gulf.

If confirmed, the targeting of Iran’s highest leadership figures would represent one of the most consequential escalations in modern Middle Eastern conflict, potentially triggering retaliation from Iran and its allied armed groups across Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen.

With reported leadership targeting senior IRGC casualties, evacuation warnings across Iran, and Israeli reserve mobilization underway, the conflict appears to be entering a broader and more sustained phase.