American Embassy Attacked in Lahore as Pakistan Protests Turn Deadly After US-Israel Strike Kills Iran’s Khamenei, 20 Killed in Karachi

At least 22 people were killed and more than 120 others injured in violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi. The unrest erupted as demonstrators backing the Iranian government attempted to storm the U.S. Consulate in Karachi and American Embassy in Lahore. 

In northern Pakistan, protesters also targeted U.N. and government offices.

The violence followed U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Police and hospital officials in Karachi said at least 50 additional people were injured in the clashes, with several reported to be in critical condition.

 22 Killed in Pakistan Clashes

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed “deep sorrow” over the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and extended condolences to Iran, his office said. He stated that Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Iranian people during this period of mourning and shares in their grief.

Summaiya Syed Tariq, a police surgeon at Karachi’s main government hospital, confirmed that six bodies and several injured individuals were initially brought to the facility. She later said the toll increased to 10 after four critically wounded victims succumbed to their injuries.

Meanwhile, in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, 12 people were killed and more than 80 others injured during clashes with police. The violence erupted after thousands of protesters, angered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, attacked the offices of the U.N. Military Observer Group and the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), according to local police official Asghar Ali.

US Embassy Issues Security Alert as Pakistan Protests Spread

Government spokesperson Shabir Mir said that all personnel working with the affected organizations were safe. He added that protesters clashed with police at multiple locations, vandalised a local charity’s office and set fire to police facilities. Authorities, however, deployed additional troops and managed to regain control of the situation.

In a post on X, the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan said it was closely tracking reports of demonstrations outside the U.S. Consulates in Karachi and Lahore, as well as calls for further protests near the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the consulate in Peshawar.

The embassy also advised American citizens in Pakistan to follow local news updates, remain vigilant, avoid large gatherings and ensure their travel registration with the U.S. government is current.

Karachi Protesters Attack US Consulate 

In Karachi, the capital of Sindh province and Pakistan’s largest city, senior police official Irfan Baloch said demonstrators briefly targeted the outer perimeter of the U.S. Consulate before being pushed back by security forces.

He rejected claims that the consulate building was set ablaze, but confirmed that protesters burned a nearby police post and shattered windows at the consulate prior to authorities restoring order.

The unrest around the diplomatic compound continued for several hours, with groups of young protesters, some masked, pelting stones at law enforcement personnel and attempting to advance toward the heavily guarded consulate, where hundreds of police and paramilitary officers had been stationed.