Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday, calling the death, which came amid strikes from Israel and the U.S. a ‘cynical violation’ of norms.

Putin made the statement in a letter to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that the Kremlin released to the public in the wake of Khamenei’s death. Saturday’s bold daytime strikes eliminated Khamenei along with several other top Iranian leaders, including the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

‘Please accept my deep condolences in connection with the murder of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Ali Khamenei, and members of his family, committed in cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law,’ Putin wrote.

‘In our country, Ayatollah Khamenei will be remembered as an outstanding statesman who made a huge personal contribution to the development of friendly Russian-Iranian relations and bringing them to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership,’ Putin continued.

‘I ask you to convey my most sincere sympathy and support to the family and friends of the Supreme Leader, the government and the entire people of Iran,’ he added.

Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Amir-Saeid Iravani condemned the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that rained down on his country throughout Saturday during a U.N. Security Council meeting.

Iravani accused the U.S. of undermining its claims of pursuing international stability while attacking a sovereign country for its ‘domestic’ activities.

‘Neither the charter nor international law recognize internal matters of a state as justification for the use of force by other states. The rule of law would be replaced by the rule of force,’ Iravani said.

‘Iran will continue to exercise its right of self-defense decisively and without hesitation until the aggression ceases in full and unequivocal terms.’

On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump ordered the execution of Operation Epic Fury, citing Tehran’s continued efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.

‘It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I’ll say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon,’ Trump said in remarks about the attack Saturday.

Trump said the strikes were meant to ‘defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime’ and that they had come after Iran had refused to abandon plans to develop nuclear capabilities.

Iravani called the attack a continuation of longstanding U.S. aggression against Iran.

‘Mr. president, this morning the United States regime, jointly and in coordination with the Israeli regime, initiated an unprovoked and premeditated aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran for the second time in recent months,’ Irvani said, referring to strikes the U.S. carried out against its nuclear enrichment sites last year. ‘The president of the United States and the prime minister of the Israeli regime have openly claimed responsibility for this act of aggression and have explicitly articulated regime change as their objective, an unmistakable admission of their intent to violate Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.’

Fox News’ Leo Briceno and Reuters contributed to this report.

At least nine people are dead and more than two dozen injured after violent clashes outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.

Hundreds of protesters stormed the diplomatic compound in a sharp escalation of anti-American demonstrations.

The unrest followed reports that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike, sparking anger among Shiite Muslims in Pakistan.

Witnesses told The Associated Press that many of the protesters were Shiite Muslims who expressed outrage over Khamenei’s reported death and alleged U.S. involvement. Protesters chanted anti-American and anti-Israel slogans, and attempted to breach the consulate’s perimeter.

Security forces deployed police and paramilitary units as clashes intensified outside the compound.

Between 25 and 30 people were wounded in the clashes, according to local officials.

Pakistani authorities tightened security around the consulate and other U.S. diplomatic missions in Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar amid fears the unrest could spread. The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan issued a security alert urging American citizens to monitor local news, avoid large crowds and remain vigilant.

‘We are monitoring reports of ongoing demonstrations at the U.S. Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore, as well as calls for additional demonstrations at U.S. Embassy Islamabad and Consulate General Peshawar,’ the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said on X. ‘We advise U.S. citizens in Pakistan to monitor local news and observe good personal security practices, including being aware of your surroundings, avoiding large crowds, and ensuring your STEP registration is up to date.’

The violence comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program, regional influence and support for proxy groups.

Pakistan has seen protests over what demonstrators describe as Western aggression.

The unrest comes as U.S. and Israeli forces continue coordinated strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure, air defenses and command centers. The Pentagon named the mission Operation Epic Fury, while the Israel Defense Forces called its portion Operation Lion’s Roar. U.S. officials said the strikes aim to degrade Tehran’s military capabilities and neutralize what they describe as imminent threats to the United States and its allies.

Three U.S. service members were killed and five others were seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday morning.

In addition, several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions and are in the process of being returned to duty, CENTCOM announced.

‘The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified,’ CENTCOM said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday that U.S.-Israel airstrikes on Iran risk plunging the Middle East into an ‘irreparable abyss,’ urging leaders to halt a dangerous spiral of violence.

Speaking at the Angelus, the pontiff expressed ‘deep concern’ over recent developments and called on nations to choose dialogue over war.

‘Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue,’ the pope said, according to Vatican News.

‘Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions,’ he added, ‘I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss!’

The pope’s warning came after Israel and the U.S. launched a joint military operation against Iran on Saturday, dubbed ‘Operation Epic Fury.’ The attacks reportedly killed several senior leaders, including Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the Islamic Republic for more than three decades.

Meanwhile, Iranian airstrikes killed at least eight Israelis on Sunday as Tehran’s latest missile barrage landed miles from Jerusalem.

The pope reinforced his warning in a two-part message posted Sunday morning on X.

‘I am following with deep concern what is happening in the Middle East and in Iran during this tumultuous time,’ he wrote.

‘Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere and responsible dialogue.’

In a follow-up post, he warned of ‘the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions’ and urged all parties involved to ‘assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm.’

‘May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace,’ he added.

American counterterrorism agencies are quietly monitoring suspected sleeper cells on U.S. soil in the wake of joint U.S.–Israel strikes on Iran, stepping up surveillance amid heightened fears of possible retaliation from Iran-linked operatives or sympathizers.

Federal and local law enforcement have also boosted on-the-ground security in major U.S. cities as part of a precautionary posture, even though no specific, credible threats have been publicly identified.

The move comes on the heels of a Saturday morning operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials in a coordinated U.S.–Israeli military campaign.

Security experts warn that the fallout could extend beyond the Middle East.

‘If ever there’s going to be a Hezbollah cell or a Hamas cell act in the United States in a violent way it’s now,’ Chris Swecker, a former assistant FBI director, told Fox News.

‘Both organizations are Iranian-backed all the way. Both organizations have had a presence in the United States since the 1980s,’ he added.

Swecker said U.S. authorities have long been aware of domestic networks and sympathizers.

‘We know that they have cells here. We also know that there are lone sympathizers, many of whom have come out in these protest groups,’ he added.

He also warned that border security vulnerabilities may have compounded the risk.

‘We just come off four years of open borders, and I have said before that that was an open door for terrorists to terrorist cells and terror sympathizers to infiltrate. Many were already here, but it’s impossible that they would not infiltrate into these particular groups and sort of act as catalysts, as enablers.’

Against that backdrop, the FBI is moving to reinforce its domestic security posture.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Saturday that counterterrorism and intelligence teams are now on high alert amid ongoing U.S. actions involving Iran.

‘Last night, I instructed our Counterterrorism and intelligence teams to be on high alert and mobilize all assisting security assets needed,’ Patel wrote on X.

Patel added that while the U.S. military is handling force protection overseas, the FBI ‘remains at the forefront of deterring attacks here at home’ and will continue working around the clock to protect Americans.

Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent and Fox News contributor, said heightened monitoring is routine when U.S. military operations intersect with adversaries that have historically responded through indirect or unconventional means.

‘The intelligence and counterterrorism communities work on this kind of scenario continuously, long before any conflict begins,’ Pack said. ‘When the United States commits to a joint military campaign with Israel, the domestic threat environment doesn’t simply remain static. It could shift, potentially significantly.’

He noted that adversarial actors — including Hezbollah, Hamas’s external networks and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps proxies — have historically demonstrated both intent and, in some cases, the capability to retaliate against U.S. military actions.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she is ‘in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.’

The heightened alert comes as parts of the Department of Homeland Security face a partial shutdown, raising additional questions about resources and operational strain at a time when federal agencies are on elevated watch.

While no specific plots have been identified, officials acknowledge the threat environment could shift quickly as tensions overseas evolve and whether that escalation reaches American soil remains to be seen.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Kelley Kramer contributed to this report. 

The first missile in the U.S. arsenal used against Iranian targets in Saturday’s pre-dawn strike was the Tomahawk, a long-range cruise missile launched from Navy ships and submarines.

About half the length of a standard telephone pole, the Tomahawk flies at the speed of a commercial airliner and can carry a 1,000-pound warhead about the distance from Washington, D.C., to Miami.

Fired from destroyers or submarines positioned hundreds of miles away, the missiles allow a president to respond rapidly to a crisis without sending pilots into contested airspace or deploying ground forces. 

The Tomahawk has become a go-to option for limited military action because it offers precision and flexibility while keeping the U.S. footprint small. The missiles can hit fixed targets with high accuracy, reducing the risk of broader escalation. 

Presidents of both parties have used Tomahawks in the opening hours of military operations, from strikes in Iraq in the 1990s to more recent operations in Syria and elsewhere. 

Defense officials and military analysts say the weapon’s long range, reliability and relatively low risk to American personnel make it an attractive first strike option when the White House wants to send a message quickly but stop short of a wider war.

That combination of speed, distance and precision has kept the Tomahawk at the center of U.S. military planning for decades.

Manufactured by defense titan Raytheon — now RTX — the Tomahawk has been a mainstay of the Navy’s arsenal since the 1980s. It was first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War and has since become a go-to option for presidents seeking to strike from long range without putting U.S. service members in harm’s way.

‘Year in and year out, administration in and administration out, it’s the long-range land attack cruise missile that presidents reach for first in a crisis,’ Thomas Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Fox News Digital.

But heavy use has taken a toll. ‘We’ve been using them far more frequently than we’ve been producing them,’ Karako said.

Prior to Saturday’s operation, the missile was used in June 2025 during a U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Overall, the Tomahawk has been deployed more than 2,350 times.

At roughly $1.4 million apiece, the Tomahawk missile has an intermediate range of 800 to 1,553 miles and can be launched from more than 140 U.S. Navy ships and submarines. 

The Tomahawk strike was just one piece of a broader U.S. military posture in the region.

Ahead of the strikes, the U.S. military amassed what Trump previously called an ‘armada’ in Iran’s backyard. Mapped out across the Persian Gulf and beyond, the deployment tells its own story, one of calculated pressure backed by credible capability.

The deployment coincided with indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Trump has warned that the regime must fully dismantle its nuclear infrastructure or face consequences.

At the center of the U.S. presence are two aircraft carrier strike groups — the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford — each supported by guided-missile destroyers and cruisers and capable of sustained air and missile operations.

More than a dozen additional U.S. warships are also operating in the region in support roles, according to defense officials.

It was not immediately clear how or when Tehran might respond, though Iranian leaders have previously warned of retaliation in the event of direct U.S. military involvement.

President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Saturday, after launching joint attacks on Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday morning. 

‘President Trump monitored the situation overnight at Mar a Lago alongside members of his national security team,’ Leavitt posted to X on Saturday. ‘The President spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu by phone.’ 

Trump announced in a Truth Social video message at 2:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time that the strikes had been launched, and addressed the Iranian people directly, telling them to ‘seize control of (their) destiny.’ 

Leavitt continued on X that Secretary of State Marco Rubio provided congressional notification to the ‘Gang of Eight,’ which is a bipartisan group of top congressional intelligence leaders, and that administration security leader continue to monitor the situation. 

‘Prior to the attacks, Secretary Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members. The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day.

Gang of Eight Democrats have rebuked the operation, including Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who serves as the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. 

‘Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame,’ Himes wrote in a statement. ‘As I expressed to Secretary Rubio when he briefed the Gang of Eight, military action in this region almost never ends well for the United States, and conflict with Iran can easily spiral and escalate in ways we cannot anticipate. It does not appear that Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history.’ 

Tensions have been flaring with Iran for months. The U.S. launched a series of strikes on that nation’s nuclear program in June, before returning to the table for negotiations over the program. 

In the lead-up to Saturday’s strikes, Trump had warned that the regime needed to fully dismantle its nuclear infrastructure or face consequences.

Trump celebrated in his video message early Saturday morning directed at Iranians that the ‘hour of your freedom is at hand.’

‘Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,’ Trump said. ‘This will be, probably, your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No President was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a President who is giving you what you want.’

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran, described the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on the country as promised ‘aid’ and an act of ‘humanitarian intervention’ by President Donald Trump.

Following the reported strikes, Pahlavi urged Iranians to abandon the regime and called on security forces to defect.

‘Moments of destiny lie ahead of us,’ Pahlavi wrote in a statement on social media. ‘Even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near.’

Pahlavi declared that the Islamic Republic is collapsing.

He framed the reported strikes as assistance directed not at Iran itself, but at its ruling clerical establishment and urged the U.S. to ‘exercise the utmost caution’ to preserve civilian lives.

‘The aid that the President of the United States promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived,’ Pahlavi wrote. ‘This is a humanitarian intervention; and its target is the Islamic Republic, its repressive apparatus, and its machinery of slaughter — not the country and great nation of Iran.’

Pahlavi issued a blunt warning to Iran’s military, police and security services, urging them to break ranks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

‘Now that the Islamic Republic is collapsing, my message to the country’s military, police, and security forces is clear: You have sworn an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people — not the Islamic Republic and its leaders,’ he wrote.

‘Your duty is to defend the people, not a regime that has taken our homeland hostage through repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with Khamenei’s sinking ship and his regime.’

His appeal mirrored past opposition efforts to persuade Iran’s security forces to switch sides — a move that could determine whether protests spread or the regime tightens its grip.

While predicting imminent change, Pahlavi stopped short of urging immediate street demonstrations. He warned citizens to remain in their homes and stay vigilant so that when he announces an ‘appropriate time,’ Iranians can ‘return to the streets for the final action.’

‘We are very close to final victory,’ he wrote. ‘I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran.’

He also indicated he would maintain communication even if authorities moved to restrict internet or satellite access — a tactic Iranian officials have used during prior waves of unrest.

Pahlavi thanked Trump for what he characterized as support while again urging caution to avoid civilian casualties.

‘I now ask you to exercise the utmost caution to preserve the lives of civilians and my compatriots,’ he wrote, adding that ‘the people of Iran are your natural allies and those of the free world.’

Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.

In recent years, he has sought to position himself as a unifying opposition figure during waves of anti-regime protests, including demonstrations sparked by economic turmoil and the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.

Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, both progressive ‘Squad’ members, lashed out at President Donald Trump on Saturday in response to his decision to strike Iran. 

‘Trump has launched an illegal regime change war,’ Omar posted on X. ‘As someone who has survived the horrors of war, I know military strikes will not make us safer; they will inflame tensions and push the region further into chaos.’

Omar, who fled Somalia as a refugee as a young child, added, ‘When we abandon diplomacy, we choose destruction.’

Tlaib reacted on social media to a clip of Trump acknowledging that there may be American casualties in this attack. 

‘He doesn’t care about our loved ones in the military,’ Tlaib posted on X in a message that was reposted by Omar. ‘He doesn’t care about the fact that Americans don’t want this war.’

‘He doesn’t care about the Iranian people. He is corrupted. Don’t fall for the lies.’

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York also slammed President Donald Trump for abandoning diplomacy in favor of launching an attack against Iran, predicting the outcome will be ‘catastrophic.’

‘The American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions. This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic,’ Ocasio-Cortez said.

‘Just this week, Iran and the United States were negotiating key measures that could have staved off war. The President walked away from these discussions and chose war instead. President Trump flippantly acknowledged the possibility of American casualties, stating ‘that often happens in war,’’ she continued. ‘Mr. President: this was not an inevitability. This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people.

Democratic Rep. Greg Casar, another progressive House member associated with the informal ‘Squad’ group, called Trump’s actions an ‘illegal war’ in a post on X.

‘Yet again, an American president is sending other people’s kids to risk their lives in a senseless regime change war,’ Casar said. 

The U.S. and Israel launched the joint attack just after 9 a.m. local time in what the Pentagon has dubbed ‘Operation Epic Fury.’

In video remarks posted to Truth Social, Trump addressed the Iranian people directly and told them to ‘seize control of [their] destiny.’

‘The hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,’ Trump said. ‘This will be, probably, your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No President was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a President who is giving you what you want.’

While Trump focused some of his message on empowering the people of Iran, he stated that the intent of the operation is to ‘defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,’ which he described as ‘vicious’ and ‘very hard, terrible people.’

Trump also said that while there may be American casualties as a result, the mission is ‘noble’ as it is aimed at stopping a ‘wicked, radical dictatorship’ from threatening American national security interests and destabilizing the Middle East.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report