Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s whereabouts have become a topic of speculation after a series of aerial attacks by the United States and Israel, with reports indicating that one of the initial blasts occurred near Khamenei’s office in Tehran. According to a source quoted by the news agency Reuters, Khamenei was not in Tehran at the time of the attacks and had been relocated to a secure location earlier, but further details about his location or relocation time were not provided.
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that American forces have launched a large-scale military operation against Iran, while the head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee has stated that Iran is preparing a retaliatory response, with the reaction expected to be extremely severe. In an 8-minute video posted on social media platform Truth Social, the Iranian official stated that the operation’s objective is to protect American citizens and interests from “imminent threats” posed by the Iranian government.
In a statement, Trump alleged that the Iranian government has been actively working against the United States and its allies for several decades, posing a threat to US military bases and interests. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has confirmed the airstrikes, stating that Israel has taken pre-emptive action to eliminate the threats posed by Iran.
In response to the attacks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the country’s military was prepared for the attack. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for an immediate political and diplomatic solution to the crisis. A missile strike was reported in Jordan’s Mafraq Airbase, targeting American forces, with reports of explosions also coming from Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh.
In a statement, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks, saying that they would not benefit the United States or global peace, and prayed for those who would suffer the consequences of the attacks. The Israeli military has announced that it has targeted hundreds of Iranian military targets in western Iran, including missile launchers, during the airstrikes.
Mohammad Pakpour, who took over as the head of the Revolutionary Guard Corps after the death of Hossein Salami in a June 2025 Israeli strike, has reportedly been the target of the airstrikes. Initial reports suggested that five people were killed in the attacks, but a French news agency later reported that the number of casualties had increased. A foreign news agency quoted an Israeli official as saying that the consequences of the US-Israeli operation are unclear.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the attacks and called for a change of government in Iran. A bomb was reportedly heard in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The European Union has called for an immediate reduction in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan and for urgent negotiations to be started.
