Irans militant and unyielding supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the Islamic Republic for more than three decades and oversaw an era of harsh internal repression and confrontation with the United States and Israel, has died following the Israeli strike in Tehran, as his compound was reduced to rubble, a senior Israeli official told Fox News Digital."Khamenei was the contemporary Middle Easts longest-serving autocrat. He did not get to be that way by being a gambler. Khamenei was an ideologue, but one who ruthlessly pursued the preservation and protection of his ideology, often taking two steps forward and one step back," Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of FDDs Iran program, told Fox News Digital."Khameneis worldview was shaped by his militant anti-Americanism and antisemitism, which first manifested itself in his protests against the Shah of Iran," he added.LEAKED DOCUMENTS EXPOSE KHAMENEI'S SECRET DEADLY BLUEPRINT FOR CRUSHING IRAN PROTESTSBorn April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, eastern Iran, Khamenei was among the Islamist activists who played a central role in the 1979 revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. A close ally of Irans first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei rose through the new system and served as president from 1981 to 1989 before becoming supreme leader after Khomeinis death that same year.Decades in power, Khamenei consolidated control over Irans political and security system, presiding over repeated crackdowns on dissent and maintaining a hardline posture toward Washington and Jerusalem."Ayatollah Ali Khameneis rule has been marked by unrelenting brutality and repression, both within Iran and beyond its borders," said Lisa Daftari, an expert on Iran and editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk. She pointed to executions and the enforcement of strict social controls as defining features of the system under Khameneis leadership.His ultra-conservative style of leadership did face challenges, however. In 2009, following disputed elections in which Khamenei declared victory for the incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, massive protests erupted across the country.TRUMP TELLS IRANIANS THE 'HOUR OF YOUR FREEDOM IS AT HAND' AS US-ISRAEL LAUNCH STRIKES AGAINST IRANMass demonstrations also broke out in 2022 after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died while detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly. The protests were brutally put down, with many of those arrested and put to death by his regime.In late December, Iran was again rocked by protests and a fierce brutal security response. According to an Iran International investigation, as many as 30,000 people may have been killed across two days, Jan. 8 to 9, 2026.International monitors and rights groups have repeatedly documented high execution numbers in Iran in recent years as well. Amnesty International said Iranian authorities executed more than 1,000 people in 2025, calling it the highest yearly figure the organization recorded in at least 15 years. Separately, a U.N. report said Iran executed at least 975 people in 2024, the highest number since 2015.WORLD LEADERS SPLIT OVER MILITARY ACTION AS US-ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN IN COORDINATED OPERATIONAcross the region, Khamenei invested heavily in Irans network of allied militias and armed groups, a strategy used to project Iranian power beyond its borders. From the West Bank and Gaza, where he backed terror groups such as Hamas, to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi extremists in Yemen, as well as other militant militias in Iraq, Iran under Khameneis spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the terror groups.However, his prized proxies, as well as the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, collapsed under Israeli military pressure following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. During a 12-day war in June 2025, Israel also succeeded in taking out some of Khameneis closest aides and senior security figures, leaving the long-serving leader significantly weakened.Yet analysts argue that Khameneis most enduring legacy may be the institutional machinery he built at home to safeguard the system.GULF STATES CONDEMN IRANIAN RETALIATORY STRIKES ON THEIR TERRITORIES FOLLOWING US-ISRAELI OPERATIONA recent report by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), authored by Saeid Golkar and Kasra Aarabi, describes the Bayt, the Office of the Supreme Leader, as a parallel structure embedded across Irans military, economy, religious institutions and bureaucracy.In an interview with Fox News Digital, Aarabi said, "It is the hidden nerve center of the regime in Iran it operates as a state within a state." He argued that even Khameneis removal would not necessarily dismantle the system. "Even if he is eliminated, the Bayt as an institution enables the Supreme Leader to function," Aarabi said, adding, "Think of the Supreme Leader as an institution rather than just a single individual."Aarabi also warned that "eliminating Khamenei in isolation on its own is not enough," calling for a broader strategy aimed at the wider apparatus surrounding the supreme leader. "You have to dismantle this extensive apparatus that he has created," he said."Unlike Khomeini, the founding father of the Islamic Republic, Khamenei institutionalized his power. Today, the Islamic Republic is more a product of Khamenei than Khomeini," FDDs Ben Taleblu added.

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Four people were injured in a hotel fire in Palm Jumeirah area of Dubai after a loud explosion was reportedly heard as the Iranian regime launched retaliatory strikes in the Middle East.The Dubai Media Office, a government entity, said in a statement Saturday that the site was secured and the fire had been contained."The safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors remain the highest priority. Authorities continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the public. The public is urged to remain calm, rely solely on verified information from official sources, and refrain from circulating videos or images on social media," the media office wrote on X.Dubai authorities confirmed that "an incident" occurred in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area and emergency response teams responded, although they did not elaborate on what caused the incident.TOMAHAWKS SPEARHEADED US STRIKE ON IRAN -- WHY PRESIDENTS REACH FOR THIS MISSILE FIRSTReports suggest United Arab Emirates forces intercepted an Iranian air attack in retaliation for U.S. forces conducting Operation Epic Fury against Iran.Iran's retaliation against the U.S. and Israel's attacks has been focused on Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East. Explosions have reportedly been heard in several countries hosting U.S. forces, including Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.TRUMP OVERSEES US STRIKES ON IRAN FROM MAR-A-LAGO, SPEAKS WITH NETANYAHU: WHMany Gulf states condemned Iran's retaliatory strikes on their territories and affirmed solidarity with their neighbors in the region.Qatar's Foreign Ministry said it reserves its "full right" to defend itself after what it described asIranian aggressiontargeting Qatari territory, while Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry warned of "grave consequences resulting from the continued violation of states sovereignty and the principles of international law."The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Defense said the country "was subjected to a blatant attack involving Iranian ballistic missiles," adding that air defense systems "successfully intercepted a number of missiles." It stated the UAE "reserves its full right to respond."

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Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal scored the first hat trick of his career in a 4-1 win over Villarreal that moved his team four points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday. At 17 years, 230 days, Yamal is the youngest player to score his first hat trick in La Liga, according to Opta. His haul included a brilliant solo effort that saw him beat a player as he cut in from the right wing and curl a shot high into the far corner. Substitute Robert Lewandowski added Barcelona's fourth in stoppage time at Camp Nou. Second-placed Real Madrid hosts Getafe on Monday with a chance to trim Barcelona's lead back to one point. Also on Saturday, Inaki Williams equalized for Athletic Bilbao in a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano. Later, fourth-placed Atletico Madrid visited Real Oviedo and could move level on points with third-placed Villarreal with a win. Reporting by The Associated Press.

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[View Article at Source]Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a briefing to the media on Iran on Feb. 28.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Saturday that he has placed the bureaus counterterrorism and intelligence teams on high alert as U.S. operations against Iran unfold."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. "Our JTTFs throughout the country are working 24/7, as always, to address and disrupt any potential threats to the homeland."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.IRAN'S TERROR PROXIES FROM IRAQ-TO-LEBANON SAY READY TO RESPOND TO US-ISRAEL ATTACKSA law enforcement source said the shift typically means the bureau would increase surveillance of priority suspects, task confidential sources and review technical intelligence collection.The heightened posture follows ongoing U.S. strikes on Iranian targets as tensions escalate across the region.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 alert also unfolds during a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.TRUMP ADMIN RAMPS UP 'MAXIMUM PRESSURE' IRAN SANCTIONS AHEAD OF NEW ROUND OF NUCLEAR TALKSJason Pack, a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent and Fox News contributor, said heightened vigilance is standard practice when U.S. military operations intersect with adversaries that have historically responded through indirect or unconventional retaliation."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 doesnt simply remain static. It could shift, potentially significantly."Pack said adversarial actors including Iran, Hezbollah, Hamass external networks and Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps proxies have historically demonstrated both intent and, in some cases, the capability to respond to American military commitments.Pack said such steps reflect a proactive posture."This is not reactive," he said. "Its an ongoing discipline built into the daily work of understanding threats before they materialize."Meanwhile, the U.S. Secret Service said it is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with federal and local partners. The agency said its protective model is adaptable to the current security environment and that the public may notice an increased law enforcement presence around protected sites.In Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department said it is closely monitoring events in Iran and coordinating with local, state and federal partners to safeguard residents and visitors."At this time, there are no known threats to DC," the department said. "We are prepared to increase our presence as needed."Police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.

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Neil Sedaka, the buoyantly up-tempo singer, pianist and songwriter who sidestepped a promising classical career in the 1950s to write and perform pop hits such as Oh! Carol and Calendar Girl, and who made a comeback in the 1970s with the soft-rock standards Laughter in the Rain and Love Will Keep Us Together, has died. He was 86. Read More