Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced plans to launch what it described as a 'devastating attack' targeting US military bases and Israel. The declaration was made in an official statement, which said the operation would be the most destructive offensive in the history of Iran’s armed forces and would begin shortly.

The announcement came shortly after Iranian state television confirmed the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In an emotional broadcast, the presenter declared a 40-day period of national mourning. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had claimed that Khamenei died following attacks by the United States and Israel.

The IRGC’s statement and the leadership transition signal a period of heightened tension in the region, with Iran’s interim leadership council already naming a new commander for the Revolutionary Guard Corps.