Israel-US Airstrikes Kill Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, Raising Succession Questions

On February 28, 2026, Israel and the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on Tehran, targeting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound and other military and government sites. Iranian state media later confirmed Khamenei's death, prompting 40 days of national mourning. The strikes marked a significant escalation in US-Israel-Iran tensions amid disputes over Iran's nuclear program. Iran's Assembly of Experts is tasked with selecting a successor, though no clear heir has been publicly named. The attacks triggered regional retaliations and widespread reactions, including protests and celebrations within Iran and among the diaspora.