Iran says avenging Khamenei’s killing a 'legitimate duty and right' amid escalating conflict

Israeli Air Force targets key sites in Tehran; alerts activated across multiple Israeli cities

• Israeli Air Force struck central Tehran, targeting key sites
• Explosions reported in multiple Tehran locations after airstrikes
• Oil tanker attacked off Oman coast; four crew members wounded

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Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday that avenging the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes was both a right and an obligation of the Islamic Republic.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its legitimate duty and right to avenge the perpetrators and masterminds of this historic crime," Pezeshkian said in a statement carried by state television.

"The assassination of the highest political authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a prominent leader of Shiism worldwide... is perceived as an open declaration of war against Muslims, and particularly against Shiites, everywhere in the world," Pezeshkian said in a statement carried by state TV.

Israel launched fresh strikes on Tehran 

The Israeli Air Force carried out a fresh wave of strikes on Tehran, targeting what the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) described as the “heart of the capital.” In a statement, the IDF said the operation marked the first such strike in central Tehran since the launch of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’, adding that the attacks were aimed at establishing aerial superiority and paving the way for further action.

The strikes come a day after joint US-Israel operations reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader. Residents in Tehran reported explosions in several parts of the city on Sunday morning. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said “terrible explosions” were heard around the Seyyed Khandan and Qasr intersections, as well as near Vanak Square and Motahari Street, following missile and air attacks.

Images circulating on social media appeared to show thick plumes of smoke rising from different areas of the capital. Meanwhile, the Israeli Home Front Command said sirens were activated across large parts of Tel Aviv and surrounding areas, as well as in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

UAE tells Iran, ‘Your war is not with your neighbours’

Alerts were also reported in Haifa and its bay area, along with Acre and nearby locations, according to official Israeli sources. In a related development, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, warned Iran against targeting neighbouring Gulf states.

He said Iran’s recent actions had deepened its isolation at a critical moment and urged Tehran to act “rationally and responsibly” to prevent further escalation in the region.

Oil tanker attacked off Oman coast

A Palau-flagged oil tanker, Skylight, was attacked about five nautical miles off Oman’s Musandam coast, according to Oman’s maritime security centre. Four people were wounded and all 20 crew members were evacuated. The incident follows a reported drone strike targeting the port of Duqm, where one foreign worker was injured.

Israel is on high alert after Iran launched a missile attack, with sirens sounding across Tel Aviv and other parts of the country.