Shiite Protesters Storm US Consulate in Pakistan, Killing 9, After Khamenei's Death

At least nine people were killed and dozens injured Sunday when Shiite protesters stormed the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, and clashed with security forces — the first major international flashpoint outside the Middle East triggered by the U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The attack on American diplomatic facilities in a nuclear-armed nation demonstrates how quickly the Iran conflict is radiating outward, threatening U.S. interests in countries far beyond the immediate theater of war. Pakistan — home to the world's second-largest Shia Muslim population — has deep historical and religious ties to Iran, and the consulate attack signals that the fallout from Operation Epic Fury could destabilize nations that have no direct involvement in the conflict.