A sweeping US-Israeli air campaign has effectively dismantled the upper echelon of Iran’s military and political leadership, as the conflict now entering its third day draws in global powers and sends shockwaves through international energy and aviation markets.
Among the confirmed dead are Ali Shamkhani, Senior Advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — who was himself killed in the strikes — along with Mohammed Pakpour, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Amir Nasirzadeh, Minister of Defence; Saleh Asadi, Senior Intelligence Official and Head of Emergency Command Intelligence; Hossein Jabal Amelian, Head of the Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND); and Reza Mozaffari-Nia, former Head of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also killed — reportedly while under house arrest — in a targeted Israeli airstrike on his residence, according to Israeli outlet Ma’ariv and confirmed by Iranian state media.
Iran Strikes Back
Iran has not stood idle. A ballistic missile strike on the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh killed at least nine people and wounded 27 others, with a synagogue where civilians had taken shelter suffering a direct hit. The structure was reduced to rubble, with rescuers combing through twisted metal and broken concrete for at least 11 people still unaccounted for.
Magen David Adom paramedic Dror Eini described the scene: destruction, flames, and chaos across an entire residential area.
Iranian missile and drone attacks have also targeted US bases and assets across Gulf states, with fresh explosions reported in Dubai, Doha, and Manama. One person was killed in Abu Dhabi and another death was confirmed in Kuwait, with dozens more wounded across the region. Qatar and the UAE have effectively shut down operations in response.
Three American Soldiers Killed
The US Central Command confirmed the deaths of three American service members as part of what it is calling “Operation Epic Fury,” with five others seriously wounded and several more sustaining minor shrapnel injuries.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also claimed to have struck the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles. CENTCOM flatly denied the claim, stating the ship was never hit and continues to launch combat aircraft in support of ongoing operations.
Strait of Hormuz Blockade Rattles Markets
In a dramatic escalation, the IRGC has blocked the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil supply passes. EU naval mission Aspides confirmed that vessels in the area received transmissions from Iranian forces warning that no ship would be permitted to transit the strait. At least 100 tankers are now reported to be anchored off the coasts of the UAE and Oman.
Global oil prices climbed in response, with Brent crude rising to approximately $72.87 per barrel and Nigeria’s Bonny Light reaching $72.90 per barrel. Analysts attributed the surge to fears over disrupted shipping lanes and production facilities across the Gulf.
OPEC+ members, in a virtual meeting held March 1, 2026, reaffirmed their commitment to market stability while agreeing to a modest output increase of 206,000 barrels per day from April 2026 — underscoring the group’s cautious approach amid the unfolding crisis.
New Leadership Takes Shape in Tehran
With Khamenei dead, Iran’s constitutional machinery has been activated. Senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been appointed to a three-member temporary Leadership Council alongside Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. The council will govern the country until a new supreme leader is selected. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that selection could happen “in a day or two.”
Ahmad Vahidi has been named the new IRGC Commander-in-Chief, Iranian media reported, marking the second time in less than a year that the post has been filled following an assassination.
Iran declared 40 days of national mourning and seven public holidays in the wake of Khamenei’s death.
Trump Opens Door to Talks
Despite ordering the strikes, President Donald Trump said in an interview with The Atlantic that he is willing to speak with Iran’s new leadership. “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk,” Trump said from his Mar-a-Lago estate, adding that Iran should have engaged sooner. A senior White House official confirmed the outreach, while noting that the military campaign would continue unabated.
Trump also warned Iran of an unprecedented military response if it escalated further: “We will hit them with a force that has never been seen before.”
World Leaders React
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned Khamenei’s killing as a violation of “all norms of human morality and international law,” while North Korea called the strikes an “illegal act of aggression” and accused Washington of a “gangster-like” approach to international affairs. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Russian counterpart that the strikes — launched while US-Iran negotiations were ongoing — were “unacceptable.”
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas called the moment a potential turning point, saying there is now “an open path to a different Iran.” Pope Leo, in his weekly address at St. Peter’s Square, made an urgent appeal for all parties to halt what he called a “spiral of violence” before it becomes “an irreparable abyss.”
Iranian President Pezeshkian, meanwhile, vowed that the country would not be broken: “The United States and Israel should know that nothing will come of this except their own downfall.”
Aviation Chaos
More than 19,000 flights have been delayed globally, with over 3,400 cancelled across seven major Middle Eastern airports — including Dubai International, Hamad International in Doha, and Zayed International in Abu Dhabi. At London Heathrow, 24 of 56 scheduled departures to the Middle East were cancelled on Sunday alone. Airlines and airport authorities across the UAE say they have already handled more than 20,000 disrupted passengers.
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