'Khamenei dead in rubble' and 'Middle East in flames'
The Sunday Telegraph runs the headline "Khamenei 'dead in rubble'" above a large image of US President Donald Trump sitting near a map of the Middle East that appears to show the locations of military bases and US Navy ships. Under that sits an article that opens: "Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has been killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to the country's intelligence service." The bottom of the front page carries an article headlined: "President needs Iranian commanders to turn against regime," written by former US national security adviserJohn Bolton.
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The Mail on Sunday's front page also covers the strikes on Iran, with a headline "British tourists blitzed and Iran's leader 'dead' as Middle East erupts". A second headline reads: "Foreign-born voters stole by-election blasts Farage", covering comments by Nigel Farage about the Gorton and Denton by-election. The story says the Green Party has called Farage's accusation "an attempt to undermine the democratic result" and a statement by Greater Manchester Police that it "can confirm a report has been made. We are in the process of reviewing this report and will provide a further update in due course."
The Sunday Times also covers the US declaration that Khamenei has been killed "was killed in yesterday's American and Israeli military strikes, President Trump declared last night". Its largest headline reads: "Ayatollah killed in blitz from America and Israel". The front page also carries the headlines "Minister in smear scandals quits", referring to Labour MP Josh Simons resigning as a Cabinet Office minister.
The Sunday Mirror leads with a large headline: "Middle East in flames". Its front page report opens: "The Middle East was yesterday plunged into chaos after the US and Israel launched a savage blitz on Iran".
A five-word headline dominates the front page of the Sunday Express: "War erupts across Middle East". Next to it sits an image of what it reports is a strike by an Iranian "suicide drone" on a skyscraper in Bahrain, showing a glowing orange and white fireball illuminating the night sky and the bottom floors of the struck skyscraper.
Kicking off the Sun on Sunday's six pages of coverage of what it calls the "War on Iran" is a large headline reading: "Ayatollah dead". It runs near a composite image of Iran's Supreme Leader, a reported drone strike in Dubai and an insert picture of Donald Trump in a white cap with "USA" across the front.
Meanwhile the Daily Star Sunday says "Brits ran for their lives as Iranian missiles targeting holiday hotspot Dubai hit top tourist hotels".
Sunday People headlines with "Get to shelter" under smaller text that states: "Brits in Dubai & Middle East told to take cover on brink of all-out war".
The Observer has gone with a wrap around front and back page that carries eight images showing scenes of destruction in the aftermath of the US and Israeli strikes, and a headline: "Killing of the Ayatollah".
The front pages carry images of fiery explosions as - according to the Sunday Express - "chaos erupted" across the Middle East, external. The world is holding its breath, the paper says, after what it describes as "devastation" in the region. "Middle East in flames", external is the headline in the Sunday Mirror, while the Sun on Sunday opts for simply, external: "Ayatollah dead". It says that following a "missile blitz" by the US and Israel the Iranian leader's body was found in rubble at his palace in Tehran.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death "represents the gravest blow to the Iranian regime" since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, external. In comments highlighted by the Sunday Times, US President Donald Trump says it marks "the single greatest chance" for the regime to be overthrown, external, urging the Iranian people to "take back their country". One student in the city of Isfahan tells the paper that the government is more afraid of protesters than the US or Israel.
But the Observer describes the strikes as "a war begun with no plan for peace" by a "dangerously reckless" president, external. Politico suggests the killing of the Ayatollah leaves a "power vacuum" which "plunges Iran's future into uncertainty, external". The website says that the armed forces "could use the opportunity to take more power", which would mean Iranians "could continue to face repression".
The London-based Iran International – which the regime has classed as a terrorist organisation – says the strikes have intensified "disarray and confusion" within the country's military, external. Sources tell the outlet that the Revolutionary Guard Corps is insisting on the "swift appointment" of the next supreme leader, outside the normal procedures.
As for Trump's view of Iran's future, he has spoken to the American news website, Axios - comments it says "offer the first real window into his thinking about how this ends", external. He tells the outlet that he can "go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days", and tell the Iranians that if they rebuild their nuclear programme he will "see them in a few years". He also says that one of his reasons for launching Operation Epic Fury was his belief that Tehran "didn't really want" to agree a deal over the programme.
The Telegraph, however, speculates that Trump may have had another motive for the strikes - saying their timing is "no coincidence". It reports, external that at a time when his approval ratings are at their lowest he "hopes a decisive blow against a foreign aggressor will allow the Republicans to cling to power" in the forthcoming midterms. The Times points out, external that he "came into power promising to end US entanglement in forever wars". It describes the strikes as his "most daring act yet", but adds that "they must succeed".
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