US-Israel Strikes Assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ignite Global Tensions and Regional Violence – 3/1/2026, 4:24:19 PM

Major world news as of March 1, 2026, centers on escalating Middle East tensions following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, alongside regional clashes and other global incidents.[1][2]

Key Developments in Iran Conflict

• Iran confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an airstrike in Tehran yesterday, with 40 days of mourning declared; other top officials like Abdolrahim Mousavi, Aziz Nasirzadeh, Mohammad Pakpour, and Ali Shamkhani were also killed during a meeting.[1][2]
• Israel struck two schools in Iran, including an elementary girls’ school in Minab killing over 100 people, as part of a broader US-Israeli offensive triggering regional violence.[2]
• Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman secretly lobbied President Trump for the attack, alongside Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.[2]
• Pope Leo XIV warned of a “tragedy of enormous proportions” and appealed to end the violence amid ongoing US-Israel-Iran exchanges.[3]
• US public support for the strikes was low pre-attack: only 21% of Americans favored it per a University of Maryland poll, with polls showing limited trust in Trump’s military decisions.[2]

Regional Clashes and Protests

• In Pakistan, hundreds of pro-Iran protesters stormed the US consulate in Karachi, leading to clashes with security forces; at least 6-9 deaths and multiple injuries reported.[1][2]
• Pakistan-Afghanistan border fighting intensified: Pakistan claims over 300 Afghan forces killed in strikes, while Afghanistan says it downed a Pakistani jet (denied by Islamabad).[2]

Other Notable Events

• At least 15 killed and 18 critically injured in an explosion at an explosives factory in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India.[1]