1 00:00:16,830 --> 00:00:19,590 Khamenei is dead. The Supreme Leader of the 2 00:00:19,590 --> 00:00:23,550 Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the man 3 00:00:23,550 --> 00:00:28,350 who ruled Iran with an iron fist for 35 years, is dead, killed in 4 00:00:28,350 --> 00:00:31,590 a joint United States and Israeli strike in the opening 5 00:00:31,590 --> 00:00:35,390 hours of Operation Epic Fury. This changes everything. 6 00:00:36,070 --> 00:00:41,720 It is Sunday, March 1st, 2026. 24 hours have passed since the 7 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,680 United States and Israel launched the most significant 8 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:47,600 military operation in the Middle East in a generation. 9 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,720 And in those 24 hours, the world has changed in ways that would 10 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,040 have seemed unimaginable just days ago. 11 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:59,160 This is episode 2 of Epic Fury, the US Iran War podcast. 12 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,920 Let's get straight into it. Let's start with the single 13 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:07,080 biggest development of the last 24 hours, the confirmed death of 14 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,160 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic 15 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,480 of Iran. President Trump confirmed the 16 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:18,080 news himself on Truth Social. He wrote Khamenei, one of the 17 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,440 most evil people in history, is dead. 18 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,280 Iranian state media subsequently confirmed the death. 19 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,640 Iran's President Mehsud Posseshkian appeared on state 20 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,520 television on Sunday and announced that a new interim 21 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,680 leadership council had begun its work following the death of the 22 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,520 supreme leader. The Iranian government declared 23 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,200 40 days of national mourning. Let that land for a moment. 24 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,960 The supreme leader of Iran is dead, 86 years old. 25 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:49,680 A man who had ruled the Islamic Republic since 1989, a man who 26 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,240 had survived decades of crippling international 27 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,960 sanctions, the assassination of those closest to him, and two 28 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,920 previous rounds of military strikes from the United States 29 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,200 and Israel. Gone Killed In the opening hours 30 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,880 of a joint operation that had been months in the planning, 31 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,919 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation. 32 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,280 He said this morning with a surprising hit. 33 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,080 We struck the tyrant common A For three decades he has been 34 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,040 sending terror through his proxies and has made his own 35 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,760 people miserable while continuing to talk about the 36 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,640 extermination of the state of Israel. 37 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,840 This plan and program no longer exists. 38 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:31,360 This tyrant no longer exists. Trump, speaking to reporters, 39 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,240 went further. He told the Iranian people 40 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,040 directly. When we are finished, take over 41 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,680 your government. It will be yours to take. 42 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,760 This will be probably your only chance for generations. 43 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,760 And it was not just common a not even close. 44 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,280 The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed on Sunday morning that 45 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,480 40 senior Iranian commanders have been killed since the 46 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:58,440 launch of Operation Epic Fury. The list of the dead reads like 47 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,600 the entire senior leadership of the Islamic Republic. 48 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,760 Abdarahim Mousavi, the chief of staff of the Iranian Armed 49 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,960 Forces. Muhammad Pakpur, the commander 50 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,240 of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard core ground forces. 51 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,360 Emir Hadami, the defense minister who oversaw Iran's long 52 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,600 range missile production and its nuclear weapons research. 53 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,800 Gallem Hossein, Mohsenia J, the head of Iran's judiciary. 54 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,080 Salah Saadi, head of intelligence for Iran's 55 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,320 Emergency Command. Mohammad Shahrazi, head the 56 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,960 military office of Khamenei, himself, a position he had held 57 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,640 since 1989. Hossein Jabal Emilian, chairman 58 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,760 of the SPND, Iran's Organization for Defensive Innovation and 59 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,840 Research, the body widely believed to coordinate Iran's 60 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,840 covert nuclear weapons work, and Reza Mosafari, NIA, another 61 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,080 senior figure within Iran's nuclear weapons and defense 62 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,720 research structure. Also killed was Mohammed Nasiri, 63 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,560 an official in the Ministry of Intelligence, and Golem 64 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,320 Razeruzian, the head of the Intelligence Department of 65 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,760 Faraja, Iran's law enforcement command. 66 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,680 The IDF stated that the majority of the highest ranking senior 67 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,680 military officials of the Iranian security leadership had 68 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,560 been eliminated. This was not just a military 69 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,399 campaign, this was a deliberate, systematic and total 70 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:21,240 decapitation of Iran's entire command structure, executed 71 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,480 simultaneously in a matter of hours. 72 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,040 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not hold back in his 73 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,840 assessment. He said the Iranian regime had 74 00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:32,960 their chance, yet refused to make a deal, and now they are 75 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,240 suffering the consequences. For almost 50 years, Iran has 76 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,600 targeted and killed Americans, always seeking the world's most 77 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,240 powerful weapons to further their radical cause. 78 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,560 Last night, unlike any previous president, President Trump began 79 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,160 dealing with his cancer. He called Operation Epic Fury 80 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,840 the most lethal, most complex and most precision aerial 81 00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:58,280 operation in history. He added the United States did 82 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:01,240 not start this conflict, but we will finish it. 83 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,160 National Security Advisor Mike Waltz also defended the 84 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,240 operation. He said this is a moment in 85 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,720 history that requires moral clarity and President Trump has 86 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,640 met the moment. The most fundamental duty of any 87 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,200 sovereign government is the protection of its people. 88 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,720 Operation Epic Fury is directed towards specific and strategic 89 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,240 objectives to dismantle missile capabilities that threaten 90 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,000 allies, to degrade naval assets used to destabilize 91 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,960 international waters, to disrupt the machinery that arms proxy 92 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:37,400 malicious, and to ensure the Iranian regime never ever can 93 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,400 threaten the world with a nuclear weapon. 94 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,600 Now let's talk about the military hardware behind this 95 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,680 operation because the scale of what was deployed is 96 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,000 extraordinary. Operation Epic Fury was launched 97 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,160 from 2 United States aircraft carrier strike groups 98 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:56,200 simultaneously, the USS Abraham Lincoln operating in the North 99 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,520 Arabian Sea and the USS Gerald R Ford. 100 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:03,600 The United States had also pre positioned F22 stealth fighters, 101 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:09,960 F-30 Fives and Boeing KC135 and KC46 aerial refueling tankers to 102 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,320 Israel in the weeks before the strikes began. 103 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,240 United States Central Command described the initial strikes as 104 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,120 involving precision munitions launched from air, land and sea. 105 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,480 And then came a detail that stopped many analysts in their 106 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,040 tracks. CENTCOM announced that Task 107 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,520 Force Scorpion Strike deployed one way attack drones modeled 108 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,800 after Iran's own Shahid drones for the first time in history, 109 00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:36,840 CENTCOM posted These low cost drones are now delivering 110 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:41,040 American made retribution. the United States used Iran's own 111 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:44,960 drone design against Iran. United States Central Command 112 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,120 described the overall scope of the operation as the largest 113 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,480 regional concentration of American military firepower in a 114 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,560 generation. On the naval front, CENTCOM 115 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,920 confirmed that United States forces sank an Iranian Navy 116 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,400 jammer and class Corvette at its birthing in Shabbahar Port on 117 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,560 the Gulf of Oman. The ship, they said, is now at 118 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,240 the bottom of the Gulf of Oman. Now let's talk about the nuclear 119 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,360 sites because this is at the heart of why this operation was 120 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,760 launched. According to analysis from the 121 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,680 Center for Strategic and International Studies, the 122 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,960 United States struck the Iran Atomic Energy Agency 123 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,320 headquarters in Tehran. The explosive research and 124 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,680 testing facility at Parchin was struck. 125 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,920 Multiple nuclear sites in Isfahan were hit, the uranium 126 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:33,760 enrichment facility at Ferdow was targeted, missile storage 127 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,840 facilities in calm was struck, launch infrastructure into 128 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,760 Breeze was hit, and air defense systems, including radar arrays 129 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,640 across western and central Iran were destroyed. 130 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,200 But there is one site that has become the most sensitive and 131 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,800 dangerous aspect of this entire operation. 132 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,440 The Buscher nuclear reactor operated with Russian 133 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,120 assistance. Russia's state Atomic Energy 134 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:01,720 corporation, Rosa Tom evacuated nearly 100 staff from Iran on 135 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:05,000 Sunday, though some personnel remain on site to keep the 136 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,920 reactor running. Any strike on that reactor would 137 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,720 pose significant radiological risks and would almost certainly 138 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:15,160 cause a major diplomatic crisis if Russian personnel were caught 139 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,600 up in it. As of Sunday morning, there were 140 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,280 some reports of explosions in the port city of Butcher, but no 141 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,080 confirmed strikes directly on the reactor itself. 142 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,320 Now let's talk about the single most painful and most 143 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:31,440 controversial element of the 1st 24 hours, the Minnab School 144 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:35,280 airstrike in the city of Minnab in southern Iran, a girls 145 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,799 elementary school was struck. The death toll from that single 146 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:41,440 incident has continued to climb throughout the day. 147 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:47,280 It began at 40, it rose to 85. And as of the latest reports 148 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,240 available on Sunday, the casualty figure from the Minnab 149 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,240 School airstrike has reached 148 deaths. 150 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:58,360 Children, 148 children killed in a single strike. 151 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,000 The local governor confirmed the figure. 152 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,600 The Iranian Red Crescent also reported explosions near 153 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,240 hospitals in Tehran and near its peace building. 154 00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:10,400 This is the detail that has galvanized the international 155 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,960 condemnation of the operation, even from countries that support 156 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:17,160 its stated objectives. The United Nations Secretary 157 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,640 General Antonio Guterres released a statement condemning 158 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:24,480 the military escalation. He said the use of force by the 159 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,800 United States and Israel against Iran and the subsequent 160 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,800 retaliation by Iran across the region undermine international 161 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,680 peace and security. He called for an immediate 162 00:09:34,680 --> 00:09:38,280 cessation of hostilities. Now let's talk about a major 163 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,760 claim from Iran and the United States military's response to 164 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,120 it. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard 165 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,600 Corps announced on Sunday that it had struck the USS Abraham 166 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,840 Lincoln aircraft carrier with four ballistic missiles, calling 167 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,800 it a new phase of its battle against the American Zionist 168 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,840 enemy. the United States military's response was 169 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,840 immediate and unambiguous. CENTCOM, posted in capital 170 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,720 letters claims to have struck USS Abraham Lincoln with 171 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,280 ballistic missiles. The Lincoln was not hit. 172 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:11,280 The missiles launch did not even come close. 173 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,120 The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of Centcom's 174 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,840 relentless campaign to defend the American people. 175 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,680 Now let's talk about American casualties because this is 176 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:25,240 deeply significant. United States Central Command 177 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:28,160 announced on Sunday morning that three American service members 178 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,400 have been killed in action and five were seriously wounded as 179 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:35,400 part of Operation Epic Fury. Several others sustained minor 180 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,320 shrapnel injuries and concussions. 181 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,680 The identities of those killed are being withheld pending 182 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:44,040 notification of families. These are the 1st combat 183 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,720 fatalities suffered by United States military personnel under 184 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,440 President Trump since he returned to office last year. 185 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,000 Trump had warned this was possible. 186 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:58,000 He said the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and 187 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,560 we may have casualties. That often happens in war. 188 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:03,840 But we are doing this not for now. 189 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,760 We are doing this for the future and it is a noble mission. 190 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:13,320 Trump told CNB CS Joe Kernan on Sunday that the operation was 191 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,960 moving along very well, very well, ahead of schedule. 192 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,880 Now let's talk about Iran's retaliation because Tehran has 193 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,640 responded with staggering scale and breadth. 194 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:28,640 Iran designated its retaliatory campaign operation True Promise, 195 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:33,800 for since the operation began, Iran launched 165 ballistic 196 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:38,400 missiles, 2 cruise missiles, and 541 drones toward Israel alone. 197 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:43,960 152 ballistic missiles, both cruise missiles and 506 drones 198 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:48,440 were intercepted by Israeli air defenses. 13 ballistic missiles 199 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:53,160 fell into the sea, but 35 drones fell within Israeli territory, 200 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:57,040 causing material damage and casualties. 6 people were killed 201 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:01,040 when Iranian missiles struck the city of Bait Shemesh, just 19 202 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:05,320 miles from Jerusalem. 23 people were taken to hospital. 203 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,160 Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the scene. 204 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:13,040 Netanyahu, speaking from the roof of IDF headquarters in Tel 205 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:16,240 Aviv with the sound of air raid sirens in the background, said 206 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,160 these are painful days and sent condolences to the families of 207 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,240 those killed. Beyond Israel, 282 Iranian 208 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:27,720 missiles and 833 drones were intercepted by Kuwaiti, Qatari, 209 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,720 Bahraini and Emirati air defense forces. 210 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:35,160 Countries targeted by Iran included Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, 211 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,480 Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab 212 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,960 Emirates. In the UAE, one person was 213 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,160 killed and seven were injured when a drone targeted Zayed 214 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,520 International Airport. In Abu Dhabi, debris caused a 215 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,960 minor fire on the outer facade of the Burj Al Arab hotel. 216 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,680 In Dubai. One of the births, at Dubai's 217 00:12:54,680 --> 00:12:58,160 Jebel Ali port caught fire. A concourse at Dubai 218 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,080 International Airport was damaged in Kuwait. 219 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:05,320 Iran struck Kuwait International Airport in Oman, the country 220 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,160 that had been mediating nuclear talks just days earlier. 221 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,760 A drone struck the primary port, injuring a dock worker. 222 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,880 Iran also struck the United States Fifth Fleet's 223 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,440 headquarters in Manama, Bahrain and the United States Al Yudiyid 224 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:22,280 Air Base in Qatar, the largest American military installation 225 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,800 in the Middle East. The IRGC announced a fresh large 226 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:30,040 scale offensive wave on Sunday. Blasts were heard in Riyadh, 227 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:34,680 Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. 228 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,520 Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which had previously committed 229 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,920 only to intercepting Iranian salvos while refusing to allow 230 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,680 offensive use of their airspace, issued statements on Sunday 231 00:13:45,680 --> 00:13:48,080 signaling A willingness to respond directly. 232 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:52,280 Saudi Arabia stated it will take all necessary measures to defend 233 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,680 its security and protect its territory, citizens and 234 00:13:55,680 --> 00:13:58,400 residents, including with the option of responding to the 235 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,440 aggression. The UAE said similarly it was 236 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,800 prepared to respond. Trump responded to Iran's 237 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,480 threats on Truth Social, he wrote. 238 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,520 Iran just stated that they're going to hit very hard today, 239 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:12,480 harder than they have ever been hit before. 240 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,080 They better not do that, however, because if they do, we 241 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,880 will hit them with a force that has never been seen before. 242 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,800 In a phone interview with Axios, Trump offered a glimpse of his 243 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,960 strategic thinking. He said I can go long and take 244 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,920 over the whole thing or in it in two or three days and tell the 245 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:32,080 Iranians see you again in a few years if you start rebuilding. 246 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,920 The Houthis in Yemen announced they were returning to their 247 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:38,480 campaign of attacks in the Red Sea in solidarity with Iran, 248 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,760 raising the prospect of renewed disruption to one of the world's 249 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:45,440 most critical shipping lanes. Qadab Hezbollah in Iraq 250 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:49,240 threatened to begin attacking United States bases in northern 251 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,720 Iraq. Erbil International Airport and 252 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:54,960 United States Consulate general in Erbil were both struck by 253 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,480 Iranian missiles. The Kurdish Peshmerga declared 254 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,920 they were on alert. At least 14,000 flights have 255 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,520 been cancelled or disrupted across the region. 256 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,040 The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued an 257 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,760 emergency bulletin advising all airlines to avoid the airspace 258 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:16,840 of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, 259 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,320 Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad 260 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:25,920 Airways, El Al, Air India, Indigo, Lufthansa, Wizair and 261 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,240 Virgin Atlantic all suspended operations. 262 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,960 Now let's talk about what is happening inside Iran, because 263 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,560 this is where the story becomes truly historic. 264 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,440 With common aid dead and dozens of senior commanders eliminated, 265 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,800 Iran is in a state of profound political crisis. 266 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,000 Under the Constitution, when a supreme leader dies, an assembly 267 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,760 of experts must convene to choose a successor. 268 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,360 That process is now underway under conditions that have never 269 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,880 existed in the 47 year history of the Islamic Republic. 270 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:58,800 The country is under active bombardment. 271 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,720 The Internet has been cut since 2:00 in the morning on Saturday, 272 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:07,240 Most of the military leadership is dead and the streets are 273 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,120 divided. Iran's security chief Ali 274 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,440 Larijani appeared on state television urging Iranians to 275 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:15,720 unite. He warned that secessionist 276 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:19,040 groups would not be tolerated and said the transition to a new 277 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,600 supreme leader would begin on Sunday. 278 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,800 He is now the most consequential surviving civilian official in 279 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,840 the Islamic Republic. Among the key survivors are 280 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,200 President Possesskian, parliament speaker Galibaf and 281 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,440 Foreign Minister Arachi. Arachi criticized the United 282 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,520 States and Israel for launching the attack despite ongoing 283 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:42,040 nuclear negotiations, saying peace had been within reach. 284 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,080 Meanwhile, extraordinary scenes were playing out across Iran 285 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,000 despite the communications blackout. 286 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,000 Videos circulating on social media showed Iranians pouring 287 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,360 into the streets in celebration following news of Khamenei's 288 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,480 death. Scenes of celebration were 289 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:02,440 reported in Carriage, Kazveen, Shiraz, Kerman, Shah, Isfahan 290 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,520 and Senandj. In southern Iran, a monument 291 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,400 dedicated to Khamenei was torn down, but security forces were 292 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,880 deployed in large numbers and footage showed them opening fire 293 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,440 on celebrants in the streets. At the same time, pro government 294 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,319 rallies were also taking place in multiple cities. 295 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,480 Iran's 80 million people are not monolithic, and how this moment 296 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,599 resolves inside Iran is one of the most consequential and 297 00:17:26,599 --> 00:17:28,440 unpredictable questions on the planet. 298 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,960 Now let's look at the global reaction which has been sweeping 299 00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:34,200 and in many cases deeply divided. 300 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,760 In Washington, the political fault lines deepened. 301 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,760 Democratic Senator John Fetterman broke with much of his 302 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,840 party, praising the operation and saying Trump had been 303 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:47,280 willing to do what is right and necessary to produce real peace. 304 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,800 Republican Senator Tom Cotton posted that the butcher's bill 305 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,080 had finally come due for the ayatollahs. 306 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,720 Republican Senator Lindsey Graham urged America's regional 307 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,880 Arab partners to get behind President Trump and go all in. 308 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,480 But the critics were loud and numerous. 309 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,360 Democratic Senator Mark Kelly said Trump had launched a large 310 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:10,040 scale military operation against Iran without Congress knowing 311 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,520 the mission or the end goal. Republican Congressman Thomas 312 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,640 Massie said he would work with Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna 313 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,120 to force a congressional vote on the war with Iran, saying the 314 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:23,320 Constitution requires it. Democratic Senator Bernie 315 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,280 Sanders called it an illegal, premeditated and 316 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:30,040 unconstitutional war. Congress is expected to vote on 317 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,560 a War Powers Resolution in the coming week. 318 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,200 In France, the government expressed satisfaction at the 319 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,720 death of what it called a bloodthirsty dictator. 320 00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:42,720 Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada's position is 321 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,520 clear. The Islamic Republic of Iran is 322 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:48,240 the principal source of instability and terror in the 323 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:51,840 Middle East and must never be allowed to obtain or develop 324 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,560 nuclear weapons. Britain's Prime Minister Kier 325 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,920 Starmer convened an emergency Cobra meeting and confirmed 326 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,960 British military aircraft were in the sky for defensive 327 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:04,440 purposes, noting that Iran had backed more than 20 potentially 328 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:06,960 lethal attacks on British soil in the past year. 329 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:09,920 Russia and China both condemned the strikes. 330 00:19:10,360 --> 00:19:13,640 China called the killing of Khamenei a grave violation of 331 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,640 Iran's sovereignty. North Korea condemned what it 332 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,160 called the shameless and gangster like behavior of the 333 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:22,960 United States and Israel. Egypt's President suicide warned 334 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,240 the Middle East could slide into chaos. 335 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,920 Pakistan saw violent clashes outside the United States 336 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,840 consulate in Karachi, leaving at least nine dead and more than 50 337 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,240 wounded. In Los Angeles, home to the 338 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:39,360 largest Iranian diaspora outside Iran, crowds gathered outside 339 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,720 the Wilshire Federal Building, carrying Iranian, American and 340 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:46,400 Israeli flags celebrating what many described as the beginning 341 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:47,960 of the end of the Islamic Republic. 342 00:19:48,360 --> 00:19:51,200 Gulf states convened an emergency meeting of foreign 343 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,720 ministers to coordinate the unified response. 344 00:19:54,120 --> 00:19:56,920 Now let's think about what all of this means as we move into 345 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:03,080 day. 324 hours ago, Common A was alive, Iran's command structure 346 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:07,280 was intact, the region's airports were open, nuclear 347 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,760 talks were ongoing, and Oman's foreign minister was declaring 348 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,920 peace within reach. Today, the Supreme Leader is 349 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:19,760 dead. 40 Iranian commanders are dead, 148 children are dead in 350 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:24,200 minup, 3 American service members are dead, 6 Israeli 351 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,440 civilians are dead and bite shimmish. 352 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:31,440 The region's airspace is largely closed, 14,000 flights have been 353 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,320 disrupted and the bombs are still falling. 354 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,800 Iran's IRGC has vowed its most ferocious offensive yet. 355 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,800 Netanyahu has promised strikes on Tehran will intensify. 356 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,840 Trump says the operation is ahead of schedule. 357 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,880 Saudi Arabia and the UAE are signaling they may join the 358 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,920 fight directly. Congress is preparing a war 359 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:56,320 powers vote. And inside Iran, 10s of millions 360 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,600 of people are living under bombardment with no Internet, no 361 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:02,280 clear leadership and an uncertain future. 362 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:07,200 Nobody knows how this ends. But what is certain is this, the 363 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,760 Islamic Republic of Iran, as it has existed for 47 years, is 364 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,440 facing the most severe existential crisis in its 365 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,800 history. Its supreme leader is dead, its 366 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,600 military command is shattered, its people are divided between 367 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,440 mourning and celebration, and the bombs are still falling. 368 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:30,640 That is episode 2 of Epic Fury, the US Iran War podcast. 369 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:35,200 The story is moving fast. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple 370 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:39,040 Podcast or YouTube so every new episode lands directly with you. 371 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,480 Share this with someone who needs to understand what is 372 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:45,600 happening and we will be back very soon.