Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint US and Israel strikes on Saturday, amid months of tensions between the two sides over speculations of nuclear enrichment by Tehran to weapon-grade and a ballistic program, aspiring for a very-long-range hit weapon.
The fresh strikes and the subsequent killing of Khamenei have brought a dramatic escalation in the Middle East, with the ripple effects felt deep inside the neighbouring countries.
Khamenei's death was acknowledged much later by Iran on Sunday, but US President Donald Trump's statements made it clear from the outset that the operation was intended to bring about 'regime change'.
In an eight-minute video released on Saturday, Trump warned Iran's armed forces to lay down their weapons in return for "complete immunity" or "face certain death". Further, he urged the Iranian people to take over the government, as this, according to him, "will probably be your only chance for generations."
Trump justified the strike by the US, saying Iran posed an existential threat with its ballistic missile program, as it could reach Washington.
Trump vetoes killing Khamenei during Mindight Hammer
Trump's toss of guardrails this time to eliminate Khamenei came eight months after he himself vetoed the plan.
Back in June 2025, the US and Israel had launched a major offensive against Iran. Under 'Operation Midnight Hammer', the US deployed B2 Bombers to decimate three Iranian nuclear facilities.
He had claimed to 'obliterating' the Iranian nuclear programme. According to news agency AP, Trump was presented with a plan to eliminate Khamenei back then, but he rejected it, saying it would destabilise the region.
After the Midnight Hammer, Trump had issued a veiled threat to Khamenei when he said that he could have killed him if he wanted to.
What changed now?
Iran's rigidity and Trump losing patience: US and Iran were engaged in nuclear talks for months, which yielded no positive results. The report suggested that Washington even offered many ways to have a peaceful nuclear program along with nuclear fuel in perpetuity, but Iran wanted enrichment to weapon-grade.
Besides, Iran was also not ready to negotiate on ending its proxies, Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, Hezbollah in Iran and Houthis in Yemen.
No past attack consequence for US: Be it Trump pulling the US out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, the assassination of IRGC top general Qassem Sulemani in 2020, or Midnight Hammer in 2025, Washington didn't incur much cost or consequences beyond hits at its Middle East bases. This could have eased pressure on the US president to make a final decision.
Sulemani's assassination was the US's biggest intervention in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Venezuela experience: The successful capture and pulling out of Nicholas Maduro from Venezuela in a midnight operation may have emboldened the US President to act this time.