US troops killed as Iran retaliates after Khamenei death

Washington/Tehran: (Web Desk) – The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that three US military personnel were killed and five others seriously wounded during operations against Iran, marking the first American fatalities in the joint US-Israeli campaign that resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Following Khamenei’s killing, Iran launched a fresh wave of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf region, defying warnings from Donald Trump of an unprecedented response. Explosions were reported in Tehran as Israeli forces announced renewed attacks on strategic targets inside the city.

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The Pentagon said the casualties occurred during Operation Epic Fury, adding that major combat operations are ongoing. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have launched large-scale attacks, with blasts reported in Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Israeli emergency services confirmed multiple deaths, including at least nine in Beit Shemesh.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Khamenei’s killing as a “declaration of war,” vowing retaliation. Israeli officials, however, called the assassination a turning point, claiming dozens of senior Iranian commanders were eliminated in coordinated strikes.

The conflict has triggered mixed international reactions. Pope Leo XIV urged restraint, China condemned the attack as a violation of sovereignty, while France openly welcomed Khamenei’s death.

Amid fears of wider war, Iran announced interim leadership arrangements while speculation mounts over the succession of the slain supreme leader, as regional security deteriorates and civilian casualties continue to rise.