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In a post on his X account, President Ruto said Kenya “strongly condemns the strikes on the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain in the evolving conflict in the Middle East.”
Arafi, 67, is a cleric and member of the powerful Guardian Council, the constitutional watchdog that will later be involved in the selection of the next supreme leader. His appointment to the temporary council was approved by the Expediency Council, an influential arbitration institution.
Iranian state television said Khamenei was killed in his office during the strikes. The government announced 40 days of mourning for the hardline cleric, who had ruled the country for 37 years.
A 40-day mourning period for the longtime Iranian leader has been announced.
The Reuters news agency, citing a senior Israeli official, reported on Saturday that Khamenei’s body has been located.
Huge plumes of black smoke were seen near the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.
The government declared the state of emergency because of the expectation of Iranian retaliation with drones and ballistic missiles.
The US has steadily increased its military footprint in the Gulf in recent weeks, signaling readiness as negotiations continue.
Although Trump has not commented directly on the order, he reiterated his stance on Iran’s nuclear program while speaking from Air Force One, saying the country must have "no nuclear weapons".
President Donald Trump has warned that the US could strike Iran if no agreement is reached. The US has sent thousands of troops to the region, along with what Trump calls an “armada,” which includes an aircraft carrier, additional warships, and fighter jets.
Erfan Soltani was arrested on January 8, 2026, in the city of Fardis, just west of Tehran, as protests swept across the country, prompting a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities.
The US last struck Iranian nuclear facilities in June last year, targeting Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. Officials described the operation, called “Midnight Hammer,” as a setback to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.