9 Killed After Mob Storms U.S. Consulate in Pakistan

Karachi turned into a battleground Sunday after hundreds of protesters stormed the U.S. Consulate, leaving at least nine people dead and dozens injured in a wave of fury triggered by American and Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader.

The violence erupted just hours after President Donald Trump confirmed U.S. involvement in coordinated strikes that targeted key Iranian military and nuclear sites. Iranian state media reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the operation, along with senior military figures. Iran’s Red Crescent said at least 200 people were dead nationwide, with more than 700 injured. Those numbers are expected to rise.

By sunrise in Pakistan’s largest city, anger had spilled into the streets.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes outside the heavily fortified diplomatic compound. Protesters smashed windows, torched a vehicle near the main gate, and chanted anti-American slogans while holding up photos of Khamenei. Video circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke rising above the area as security forces fired tear gas into dense crowds.

Karachi police confirmed nine fatalities and more than 50 injuries. Authorities have not publicly detailed how the victims died.

Police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed Tariq told local media that three critically injured individuals succumbed to their wounds at the city’s largest government hospital, bringing the death toll to nine.

Senior police official Irfan Baloch said the crowd “briefly breached the outer perimeter and attacked a nearby police post” before officers regained control. He described the situation as “volatile and fast-moving.”

A spokesperson for the provincial government alleged that gunfire may have come from within the consulate’s security detail. That claim has not been independently confirmed.

The unrest did not stop in Karachi.

Demonstrations flared in Islamabad, Peshawar, and Lahore. In Multan, a rally remained peaceful, though protesters vowed continued resistance. “God willing, we will never bow before America and Israel,” demonstrator Mamoona Sherazi told reporters.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi declared a day of mourning following what he called the “martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei.” In a statement, he said, “Every citizen of Pakistan shares in the grief of the people of Iran.” He urged protesters to remain peaceful but acknowledged widespread anger.

The violence underscores the fragile balance in a region already on edge.

Pakistan has one of the world’s largest Shi’ite Muslim populations, second only to Iran and Iraq. In Baghdad, hundreds gathered near the U.S. Embassy, where Iraqi security forces dispersed demonstrators with tear gas before they could breach the compound.

The chain reaction began Saturday.

President Donald Trump defended the strikes in a lengthy post on Truth Social, calling Khamenei “one of the most evil people in history” and declaring the operation “Justice for the people of Iran and for great Americans who suffered at his hands.” He argued the mission crippled Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure and suggested that elements within Iran’s military might seek immunity rather than continue fighting.

Iran swiftly responded.

Tehran launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases in the Middle East, widening the confrontation and raising fears of a regional war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote that Iran would “punish those who kill our children” but insisted the country’s grievance was not with the American people.

For American officials, the attack on the Karachi consulate marks a dangerous escalation.

U.S. diplomatic facilities across Pakistan have been placed under heightened security. Law enforcement agencies are investigating how protesters were able to approach and damage parts of the consulate’s perimeter.

As casualty numbers are updated and global leaders brace for further retaliation, one reality is clear: a single weekend of strikes has ignited unrest far beyond Iran’s borders.

The Middle East is on edge. South Asia is feeling the shockwaves. And Washington now faces the consequences of a conflict that could spiral further in the days ahead.