SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Protesters gathered outside the San Francisco Federal Building on Saturday to demonstrate against U.S. military strikes on Iran. The joint mission, conducted by the United States and Israel, is known as "Operation Epic Furry." Photo: KRON4 News. The military action follows the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei this weekend. Khamenei had ruled the country's Islamic regime for nearly 40 years. The White House had announced weeks ago that American forces were gathering in the region, even as diplomatic talks were still taking place. The military strikes resulted in the complete destruction of Khamenei's compound in Iran. Despite the ongoing diplomacy, many observers said the move by the administration did not come as a surprise. Iranian descendants and supporters are reacting to the news across the world. People opposed to the Ayatollah's rule have been celebrating the military operation, while others who support the leader have taken to the streets to protest the attacks and American involvement. Dr. Nolan Higdon, a professor of politics at California State University East Bay, said the move by the Trump administration is deeply against the desires of the American people and the president's political base. Higdon noted these sentiments ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed his opposition to the military action on the social media platform X. While Newsom stated that Iran's leadership must be removed, he criticized the legality and safety of the current mission. "The leadership of Iran must go. But that does not justify the President engaging in an illegal, dangerous war that will risk the lives of our American service members and our friends without justification to the American people. President Trump is putting Americans at risk abroad because he is unpopular at home," Newsom said. Khamenei was widely perceived by international critics as an authoritarian leader and a dictator. He had remained in power for nearly four decades until his death. His compound in Iran was completely destroyed during the joint military operation. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published. ...read more read less