Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, has been reported dead.

Mousavi, along with defence minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, revolutionary guards chief Mohammad Pakpour, and Ali Shamkhani, director of Iran’s defense council, were killed during Saturday’s missile attack on the country, according to state-run Iran TV.

The officials were believed to have been killed at a defence council meeting.

Mousavi was one of approximately 30 prominent Iranian regime leaders and military commanders purportedly targeted in Saturday’s joint US-Israeli operation.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was also murdered in the blast.

Khamenei’s daughter, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law were all killed in the military action.

“The Supreme Leader of Iran Has Reached Martyrdom,” state broadcaster IRIB reported on Sunday morning.

“This great scholar and mujahid (fighter) sacrificed his life to lift Iran… and he is in the grand presence of martyrs above,” Mehr, the state affiliated news outlet, said.

Iran then declared 40 days of mourning for Khamenei.

The United States and Israel started missile strikes against Iran on Saturday. Israel claimed the strike as “pre-emptive”.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the operation was part of a strategy to “remove threats against the State of Israel.”

He also declared a “special and permanent state of emergency” throughout the country, warning that Iran could reply with drones and ballistic missiles.