Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several family members died in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Saturday. The attacks targeted key sites in Tehran and other locations. Iran announced 40 days of national mourning following the deaths.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led Iran since 1989, perished in an Israeli airstrike on his office in Tehran, according to Iranian reports and Israeli officials. State media outlets, including Fars news agency, verified the deaths of multiple relatives. Reports specified that Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, and other family members, including a daughter-in-law and grandchild in some accounts, lost their lives in the strikes.
Iranian sources stated that after contact with informed household members, authorities confirmed the “martyrdom” of the daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter of the supreme leader. The strikes also eliminated senior military and security figures, such as Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Revolutionary Guards chief Mohammad Pakpour, and Ali Shamkhani, head of the defense council.
President Donald Trump announced the start of “major combat operations” against Iran on Saturday. He described the mission as necessary to prevent threats and promote peace in the Middle East. The joint U.S.-Israeli effort, referred to in some reports as Operation Epic Fury or similar designations, aimed at regime targets and included missile strikes on leadership compounds.
Israel’s military confirmed that the initial strikes killed top Iranian officials. Trump indicated that operations would continue uninterrupted as needed. Iran responded with retaliatory missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. bases in the region.
FIFA turned attention to Iran after the strikes, as the national team qualified for the 2026 World Cup and drew group matches in the United States, a co-host alongside Canada and Mexico.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom addressed the issue during a meeting in Wales. He said, “I read the news [about Iran] this morning the same way you did. We had a meeting today and it is premature to comment in detail, but we will monitor developments around all issues around the world.”
Grafstrom added that FIFA conducted the group draw in Washington with all teams present. He emphasized, “Our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.” He noted ongoing communication with host governments to ensure safety for all teams. The organization prioritized a secure tournament amid the escalating conflict.
