Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Dies in Joint US-Israeli Strike

CHICAGO – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, was killed on February 28, 2026, in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike, Iranian state media confirmed on Sunday according to CNN. The death of the cleric, who had ruled Iran for almost four decades, is expected to plunge the Islamic Republic into a serious crisis as reported by CNN.

Details of the Assassination

The assassination occurred as part of a series of Israeli missile strikes around Tehran aimed at targeting high-ranking Iranian officials according to Wikipedia. The strike hit Khamenei’s compound in Tehran while he was “carrying out his duties” as reported by Fars News Agency. Satellite images from Airbus showed black smoke rising from the supreme leader’s compound, with several buildings severely damaged as shown by CNN. Five people were killed, including Khamenei according to Wikipedia.

Confirmation and Reactions

Initially, Iran’s Foreign Ministry claimed Khamenei was “safe and sound,” but his death was later announced by both U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as reported by CNN. Netanyahu stated there were “many signs” that Iran’s supreme leader was “no longer with us” according to CNN. Trump urged Iranians to “take back their country” as reported by the Associated Press. Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, vowed retaliation, stating Iran would “stab” America in the heart according to CNN.

Khamenei’s Legacy

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran for 36 years, building the nation into a powerful anti-U.S. Force and expanding its military influence across the Middle East according to Reuters. He also used an iron fist to suppress domestic unrest according to Reuters. His death occurred on February 28, 2026, with confirmation from the Iranian government on March 1, 2026 according to Wikipedia.

The assassination is part of the broader 2026 Israeli–United States strikes on Iran according to Wikipedia.