Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 3 (ANI): Security remains at high alert in Srinagar's Lal Chowk for the second day following the protests by Shia Muslims against the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei.

The security forces have tightened security as a precautionary measure after Monday's protest forced police to use tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

This comes as the Shia Muslim community in the region mourned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the airstrikes launched by the US and Israel.

On Sunday, members of the Shia community in Jammu and Kashmir staged a massive protest outside the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) headquarters in Srinagar following the news of the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US and Israel-led strikes.

The protests were peaceful, with participants carrying pictures of Khamenei and banners supporting Iran. Black flags, portraits of the Ayatollah, and traditional mourning chants (Nauha) were witnessed on the streets of Srinagar.

Protests were held across the country with Shia Muslims mourning the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and raising slogans against US and Israel attacks on Iran.

Tensions continued to escalate across West Asia with multiple strikes reported in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

An Iraqi armed group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a hotel in Erbil that it alleges houses US troops, Al Jazeera reported.

In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Defence Ministry said eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj, according to Al Arabiya.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, IRNA News Agency reported that the Israeli regime attacked the headquarters of Al-Manar, a broadcaster affiliated with Hezbollah. According to IRNA, Al-Manar resumed broadcasting its programmes minutes after the reported strike. Earlier, Israel said that the head of Hezbollah's intelligence arm was killed in an overnight strike, and Beirut said it would ban the terror group's military activities.

The Israel Defence Forces confirmed that the overnight strike in the Lebanese capital killed Hussein Makled, whom it called 'the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters.' (ANI)