Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Confirmed Dead After U.S.-Israeli Strikes
WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM/DUBAI/DOHA – Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed on Saturday, state media confirmed, following the most ambitious attack on Iranian targets in decades launched by the United States and Israel. Iranian state media announced Khamenei’s death early Sunday. A senior Israeli official stated earlier that the Iranian leader’s body had been found, and U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States worked closely with Israel to target the man who had led Iran since 1989.
Confirmation of Death and Joint Operation
The death of Ayatollah Khamenei was simultaneously confirmed by Iranian state television and a statement from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. According to a Reuters translation, the statement read, “Leader and Imam of the Muslims, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, on the path of upholding the exaltation of the sacred sanctuary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, drank the sweet, pure drought of martyrdom and joined the Supreme Heavenly Kingdom.”
President Trump announced the news on his Truth Social platform, framing the killing as retribution for those harmed by Iran’s leadership and declaring it “Justice for the people of Iran.” He likewise suggested it offered “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to seize back their Country.”
Escalation of Hostilities and Iranian Response
Iran has condemned the strikes as unprovoked and illegal, responding with missile launches targeting Israel and at least seven other countries, including Gulf states hosting U.S. Bases.
Khamenei’s Leadership and Background
Ayatollah Khamenei, 86, had ruled Iran for nearly four decades, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini after his death in 1989. Prior to becoming Supreme Leader, he served as Iran’s president from 1981 to 1989. He was hand-picked by Khomeini to succeed him.
In 2025, during the Iran-Israel conflict, Khamenei vowed that Iran would not surrender, stating, “War will be met with war, bombing with bombing, and strike with strike. Iran will not submit to any demands or dictates,” as reported by Tasnim, Iran’s semiofficial state news agency.
Recent Protests and Crackdown
The assassination followed widespread protests in Iran that began over rampant inflation but escalated into broader demonstrations against Khamenei and the Islamic regime, which has ruled Iran since 1979. The crackdown on these protests reportedly resulted in approximately 30,000 deaths, according to senior health officials.
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