Chaos in Dubai and Middle East - Ayatollah killed , airports attacked and what is next

dailystar.co.uk · Mar 1, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes carried out in the early hours of Saturday February 30. Since then, Iran has fired missiles across the region09:30, 01 Mar 2026Updated 09:53, 01 Mar 2026Chaos erupted in the Middle East after the US and Israel launched “major combat operations” across Iran in the early hours of Saturday February 28. Tehran retaliated with strikes across the Middle East, hitting Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait.‌Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in US-Israel attacks on the Iranian capital of Tehran. Before Iran confirmed Khamenei's death, Donal Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead.‌"This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World." The killing has seen chaos spread across the Middle East with Iran continuing to fire missiles at their neighbours this morning.‌Here is everything we know so far about the strikes:US and Israel strike IranAccording to US officials, US fighter jets were targeting military and security targets in Iran. The US Navy were also firing Tomahawk missiles from ships into Iran as part of the initial strikes on Iran, officials have said.‌Dramatic images have shown strikes in Tehran, Iran’s capital. Explosions were also heard in the cities of Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah.Meanwhile, several areas in the region were hit by Iran, including Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait. Iran’s retaliatory strikes targeted Tel Aviv.At the time, the IDF (Israel Defence Force) identified missiles launched from Iran towards Israel, with defensive systems operating to intercept the oncoming threats.‌'Evil' nuclear threat posed by IranThe “major operations” were confirmed by President Trump in an eight-minute social media video by President Donald Trump, who called Iran the “world's number one state sponsor of terror” listing historic occasions when he said the state participated in actions against the US.“This regime can never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said in the statement. He said that Iran had “taken every opportunity to resume their nuclear ambitions” and added that the Iranian leadership “just wanted to practice evil”.‌Benjamin Netanyahu, the PM of Israel said that the two countries embarked on an operation “to remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran.”He added: "This murderous terrorist regime must not be armed with nuclear weapons that would allow it to threaten all of humanity.“Our joint action will create the conditions for the courageous Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.‌"The time has come for all segments of the Iranian people - the Persians, the Kurds, the Azeris, the Baluchis, and the Ahwazis - to throw off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.“I appeal to you, the citizens of Israel, to listen to the instructions of the Home Front Command. In the coming days, in Operation 'The Roar of the Lion,' we will all be required to have endurance and fortitude.”Following the US strikes, a statement posted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Telegram says that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has announced it is launching a counterattack following US and Israeli strikes.‌"In an answer to the hostile and criminal enemy assault to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the first broad wave of missile and drone attacks of the Islamic Republic of Iran toward the occupied land has begun," the statement said.Have the air strikes in the Middle East stopped?The strikes seem to carry on. As of this morning, witnesses reported several loud blasts in the Dubai area and over the Qatari capital, Doha, for a second day.‌In other parts of the world, gunfire has reportedly been heard near the US Consulate General in Karachi as police clashed with protesters who attacked windows and set fires at the building.Six people have reportedly been killed and according to some reports, three US Embassy staff have been injured in Karachi, Pakistan.What will happen now?‌There is still uncertainty around what will happen today, with tensions still on the rise across the region. Much of the focus will be on who is in charge of Iran now, and if strikes continue between the countries.Several senior figures in the Iranian political and military leadership were killed in strikes yesterday by the US and Israel.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, was killed on Saturday morning at his compound in Tehran - his daughter, son-in-law and grandchild were also killed in the attack.‌Iran's armed forces chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi was killed in airstrikes. The commander of the Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Pakpour was also killed, Tehran confirmed.An intelligence source and military source told CBS News that overall around 40 Iranian officials were killed in the strikes.Tara Kangarloum, author and Iran expert, told Sky news that the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani, and the parliament Speaker, Mohammad Ghalibaf “will fight to hold this power in their hands."Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.