A U.S. intelligence assessment warns Iran and its proxies could target the United States with attacks following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, though a large-scale physical assault is unlikely. The Department of Homeland Security's report, reviewed by Reuters, highlights Iran-aligned 'hacktivists' as the primary immediate threat, likely conducting low-level cyber attacks such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against U.S. networks. Persistent threat of targeted attacks in the Homeland is expected, escalating if reports of Khamenei's death are confirmed.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated she is coordinating with federal partners to monitor and thwart potential threats. Iran confirmed Khamenei's death on Sunday, following initial reports by Israel and the U.S. The assessment also predicts Iran will continue attacks against U.S. and allied targets in the Middle East and blame senior U.S. officials for any protests stemming from President Trump's call for regime change.