Several parts of the Kashmir Valley witnessed protests on Monday against the assassination of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli operation carried out early on Saturday.
This marks the second consecutive day of demonstrations, with minor clashes reported between protesters and security forces in some areas, prompting authorities to use mild force to disperse crowds.
Officials said protests erupted in the Bemina, Gund Hassibhat and Jehangir Chowk areas of Srinagar, while south Kashmir’s Pulwama district also saw processions in solidarity with Iran and condemnation of the United States and Israel.
Protesters, predominantly from Shia-majority neighbourhoods, raised anti-American and anti-Israel slogans as they marched through the streets. In certain locations, security forces resorted to mild force, including lathicharge and tear gas shells in isolated spots, to disperse the gatherings, while in others, protesters dispersed peacefully after completing their marches.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iran. Iranian state media confirmed his death on Sunday, triggering 40 days of official mourning and vows of severe retaliation. A full-scale war has since erupted between Iran on one side and Israel alongside the United States.
Iranian forces have launched missile and drone attacks on nearly 27 US military bases across the Middle East and targeted US naval vessels in the Gulf region. With Iran’s extensive missile arsenal, estimated at 4,000–7,000 ballistic missiles, experts have described the assassination of Khamenei as a major strategic blunder by US President Donald Trump, given the vulnerability of 40,000–50,000 US troops and billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment now at risk in the region.
Tehran’s military leadership has declared that the war will continue with intensified strikes on US bases, naval forces in the Gulf, and Israeli targets, despite President Trump’s recent threats of unprecedented consequences if attacks persist.
Also read: CM appeals for calm, asks Police to act with restraint
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