Several senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and high-ranking Iranian political officials were killed in coordinated Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, according to a source
close to the Iranian establishment who spoke to Reuters on Saturday.
Following the attacks, Iran’s Security Council instructed residents of Tehran and other major cities to remain in secure, protected locations until further notice, Israeli news outlet Walla reported.
Witnesses said Iranian security forces sealed off roads in parts of Tehran housing key government institutions, including the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the national parliament.
The developments came after Israel and the United States launched large-scale strikes across Iran. Iranian state media reported explosions in several cities, including Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj.
Earlier on Saturday, an Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that Khamenei had been moved from Tehran to a “secure location.” Satellite imagery circulating online appeared to show damage consistent with an Israeli strike on a fortified bunker believed to be part of the Supreme Leader’s security infrastructure.
When later asked whether Khamenei or President Pezeshkian had been directly targeted, an Iranian military official declined to comment.
Iranian media outlets said the strikes hit multiple sensitive sites, including the IRGC’s intelligence headquarters, with additional explosions reported in central Tehran. In response, Iranian authorities announced the closure of the country’s airspace.
A regional security source told Walla that the United States was actively involved in the operation. Separately, a U.S. official confirmed to Reuters that American strikes were “underway,” adding that the attacks were being conducted from both air and sea.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the objective of the operation was to dismantle the Ayatollah’s regime.
In a parallel message, Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on Iranian military and police personnel to support anti-regime efforts and help bring down the Islamic Republic. Photo by Sarallah Ankouti, Wikimedia commons.