Large numbers of Iranians gathered in central Tehran and other cities for the first Friday prayers since the start of the war with the United States and Israel. Videos shared online by Iranian media showed crowds of men and women, many wearing black and some carrying Iranian flags, heading towards an open space outside the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in the capital, AFP reported.
Who was Khamenei?
Ali Khamenei shaped Iran’s position in the Middle East as firmly opposed to Israel and resistant to US efforts to influence and reshape the region. He has consistently ensured that his deep distrust of and hostility to the US – rooted in Washington’s past involvement in Iranian politics and his support for the monarchy that once imprisoned him – remains central to Iran’s political narrative.
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Khamenei has also repeatedly called for the removal of Israel, often describing the country as a “cancerous tumor” in the region, according to a Bloomberg report.
The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was reportedly caused by a series of strikes by the United States and Israel that ignited the conflict in the Middle East. According to reports, Khamenei was killed by Israeli “Blue Sparrow” missiles.
How was Khomeini killed?
In the early hours of February 28, Ali Khamenei arrived at the leadership complex on Pasteur Street to attend a high-level meeting. The 86-year-old leader had spent most of the previous weeks in underground shelters amid fears of a potential Israeli strike.
Additional details reported by The New York Times said the operation relied on intelligence gathered by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which had been tracking Ali Khamenei’s movements for several months.
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According to the report, US intelligence has discovered that a meeting with senior Iranian officials was supposed to take place in a government building in Tehran with Khamenei in attendance. The CIA then shared what officials described as “high-fidelity” intelligence on the supreme leader’s location in Israel.
Watch the headquarters of the Supreme Leader
Although the strike was originally planned for the night, the United States and Israel reportedly changed the timing of the operation to take advantage of information about the meeting.
Shortly after he appeared to be attending the meeting, a missile struck the compound, killing him and several senior officials.
The attack was reportedly carried out using the Blue Sparrow missile, an advanced weapon developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and fired from an F-15 Eagle fighter jet.
Intelligence
According to The New York Post, Israeli officials deliberately created the impression that the army was facing an attack over the weekend.
An Israel Defense Forces official told reporters that the military had released photos and information indicating that senior commanders were heading home for a Shabbat dinner, giving the impression that operations had been suspended. In fact, officials quietly returned to headquarters to prepare for the strike, the report said.
The report also said Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service, had been monitoring the movement of security personnel around Ali Khamenei’s compound on Pasteur Street in central Tehran. Intelligence teams monitored the plans and movements of the bodyguards, while security cameras in the area helped determine when senior Iranian leaders gathered at the site.
What is Israel’s Blue Sparrow missile?
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Blue Sparrow missile is an advanced air-launched ballistic missile primarily used to simulate enemy missile threats during tests of Israel’s missile defense systems. It is usually launched from an F-15 Eagle fighter jet operated by Israel. After launch, the missile climbs rapidly to the edge of the atmosphere and then descends sharply towards its target on a steep path, an IndiaTV report said.
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Blue Sparrow is part of a family of three missiles designed for different threat simulations: Black Sparrow, Blue Sparrow and Silver Sparrow. Each variant represents a different class of ballistic missile used in test scenarios. The Blue Sparrow is about 6.5 meters long, weighs about 1,900 kilograms and has a range of almost 2,000 kilometers, allowing it to hit distant targets with high accuracy.
Israel’s Blue Sparrow Missile: Does India Have It?
India is using technology derived from the Sparrow missile family to modernize the Indian Air Force (IAF) arsenal, particularly through the ROCKS missile system and the Golden Horizon missile system, a Business Standard report said.
How does the Blue Sparrow missile work?
The missile travels along a high ballistic trajectory, making it very difficult for defense systems to intercept it. After launching from the fighter at a safe distance, its rocket engine propels it into the upper atmosphere. Once it reaches a high altitude, it re-enters the atmosphere at an extremely high speed.
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During the final phase of flight, the missile’s onboard guidance systems make adjustments to ensure accurate targeting. This capability allows it to engage high-value targets such as command centers, air defense emplacements, and fortified installations while keeping pilots out of range of enemy air defenses. Its high speed, altitude and maneuverability greatly reduce the time available for defense systems to react.
(With input from agencies)
