Khamenei death sparks fierce Iran fightback

Iranian state television confirmed on Sunday the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, after US President Donald Trump said he was killed in joint strikes by the United States and Israel.

The development set off retaliatory attacks across the Middle East and pushed the safety of overseas Filipinos to the top of Manila’s agenda, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urging calm.

Marcos ordered agencies to secure Filipino workers as Iran’s counterstrikes hit US bases and Israeli targets.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said no Filipinos had been reported hurt, even as airspace closures and missile warnings disrupted daily life in Gulf states.

“At present, we have extensive coordination with our embassies across the region, Israel and the Gulf states. Thus far, there have been no reports of Filipinos being injured or adversely affected by the attacks we are seeing on television or in the media,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a radio interview.

Iran’s announcement followed overnight attacks by Washington and Tel Aviv on targets inside Iran. Tehran responded with missile and drone strikes on US bases in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and several Gulf states, and launched attacks toward Israel, Iranian state media said.

Air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem, while explosions were reported in Dubai, Manama and Doha, according to journalists on the ground.

1.1M Pinoys

For the Philippines, the escalation has immediate human stakes. The Middle East hosts the country’s largest concentration of land-based overseas Filipino workers, more than 1.1 million, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Marcos said Filipinos had been moved to safe locations and, in some cases, to bomb shelters, based on reports from Philippine embassies.

“I believe you have already heard that Israel and the United States bombed Iran, and Iran responded by bombing American bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, and of course, Israel,” Marcos said in a video message.

“I want to report to our fellow Filipinos that as of 9 o’clock Sunday morning, we have received no reports of Filipino casualties. No Filipino has died. No Filipino has been injured,” he added.

DAILY TRIBUNE is seeking secondary confirmations that several Filipinos were killed, including a member of a prominent family, when a Dubai hotel was attacked. Palace spokesperson Claire Castro said they have no such information as of 7 p.m., adding, “I will ask for an update.”

At press time, the spokesperson of Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a televised briefing that a Filipina worker was killed in a retaliatory attack by Iran on Sunday.

Iranian state media said 27 US bases, along with Israeli military and defense industry sites in Tel Aviv, were among the targets. Trump warned Tehran that any further retaliation would be met with force that has “never been seen before.”

As missiles flew, protests turned deadly. In Pakistan, scores of people were killed as hundreds of demonstrators tried to storm the US consulate in Karachi, according to local rescue services. (See related story.)

Similar unrest was reported in Iraq, where crowds attempted to breach Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, and in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Mounting fears

Iranian media said rallies also erupted in Tehran, Yazd and other cities, with mourners calling for vengeance. The government announced a 40-day mourning period and declared seven public holidays following Khamenei’s death.

Iran’s judiciary confirmed that several senior officials were killed in the strikes, including armed forces chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, Revolutionary Guards commander Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, and top adviser Ali Shamkhani.

Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, vowed defiance, saying the country would “teach an unforgettable lesson to the international oppressors.”

On the ground in the Gulf, Filipinos described mounting anxiety.

In Dubai, household helper Kristine De Jesus said emergency alerts and explosions had become routine. “I’ve been having a nervous breakdown. I don’t want this kind of situation, where you keep hearing explosions every now and then,” she said.

UAE authorities warned residents of a “potential missile threat,” urging them to seek shelter and await official instructions. It was reported that an overnight Iranian attack damaged part of Dubai International Airport, injuring four staff.

Closed airspace

The Philippine government said contingency plans were in place, including possible repatriation. “We stand ready, including monitoring those affected by flight cancellations,” Cacdac said.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines reported at least 23 international flights canceled and three diverted since 28 February due to airspace closures and security risks.

Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, the UAE and Israel have partially or fully closed their airspace, forcing airlines worldwide to reroute or suspend flights.