Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced what it described as the beginning of the “most brutal offensive operation in the history” of Iran’s armed forces, following reports that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the IRGC said the operation would target Israel and what it called American “terrorist bases” across the region. The announcement marked a sharp escalation in rhetoric and military activity after Tehran confirmed the death of its most powerful leader.
Iranian state television and the Tasnim news agency earlier reported that Khamenei was killed in his office on Saturday morning during strikes attributed to the United States and Israel.
Escalating cycle of strikes
The IRGC warning came hours after the United States and Israel carried out coordinated attacks on Iranian targets, including sites in Tehran, which Iranian officials said caused infrastructure damage and civilian casualties.
In response, Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes toward Israeli territory and against US military facilities in the Middle East, according to statements from Iranian authorities and regional military officials.
Rising regional tensions
The IRGC’s pledge of an unprecedented offensive underscores the rapidly intensifying confrontation that now spans multiple countries and domains, including missile launches, drone attacks and air defense interceptions.
Regional governments and international observers are closely monitoring the situation amid fears that continued escalation between Iran, Israel and the United States could trigger a broader conflict across the Middle East.
The coming hours are expected to be critical in determining whether the current exchange of strikes stabilizes or expands into a sustained regional war.
