Moment when Khamenei’s underground military bunker was destroyed by 50 Israeli Air Force jets: Video

The Israeli military on Friday stated that its 50 Air Force fighter jets had "dismantled" an underground bunker that was intended to serve as a command centre for slain leader Ali Khamenei.

“50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets dismantled Ali Khamenei’s underground military bunker beneath the Iranian regime’s leadership compound in Tehran,” Israel Defence Forces said on X.

(Mint couldn't independently verify if it was destroyed on 28 February when Israel-US launched strikes or later)

Khamenei was killed at his leadership compound on Saturday, the first day of joint United States–Israel strikes that triggered the war in the Middle East. The Pentagon later said that the strike that killed him was carried out by Israel, while President Donald Trump stated that US intelligence had also played a role.

Meanwhile, airstrikes on Tehran on Friday morning came after warnings from Israel and the United States that they would intensify the offensive launched on Saturday.

Eyal Zamir, chief of the Israel Defense Forces, said on Thursday that Israeli forces had eliminated around 40 senior officials of the Iranian regime within about 40 seconds during the opening strike, including Ali Khamenei.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also mentioned that “firepower over Iran and over Tehran is about to surge dramatically”, as per AFP.

Trump said deploying ground troops in Iran would be a "waste of time" at present, but added that he would "have to be involved" in deciding who would lead the country next.

According to Iran’s health ministry, strikes by the US and Israel have killed 926 people.

Since the conflict began, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and the Gulf region. In Israel, at least 10 people have died, according to first responders. The US military stated that six of its personnel have been killed.

Israeli airstrikes in Beirut

Israel carried out heavy airstrikes overnight and on Friday on the southern suburbs of Beirut, damaging roads and infrastructure as its conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah intensified, forcing tens of thousands of Lebanese residents to flee their homes, as per Reuters.

Before launching the attacks, Israel instructed residents in the densely populated suburbs, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, to evacuate the area. Earlier, it had also urged civilians to leave large parts of southern and eastern Lebanon, extending warnings beyond areas close to the border.

These evacuation orders were the most extensive issued by Israel against Lebanon so far, triggering a mass departure of residents ahead of the bombardment, which reduced several buildings to rubble and tore off the facades of apartment blocks.

Hezbollah announced on Friday morning that it was confronting an Israeli ground advance in southern Lebanon. The group said it targeted a concentration of Israeli military vehicles near the town of Khiyam and warned residents living in Israeli communities close to the border to evacuate.

Lebanon became involved in the Middle East conflict on Monday after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel. This action triggered a new Israeli military offensive against the Shi'ite Muslim group, which is Iran’s strongest regional ally, occurring about 15 months after their war in 2024.