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Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei Reportedly Killed in US-Israel Airstrikes on Tehran

Iran’s political and religious leadership has been thrown into turmoil following reports that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed during large-scale aerial bombardments on Tehran allegedly carried out by the United States in coordination with Israel.

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State television confirmed his death early Sunday, with a visibly emotional presenter announcing that the 86-year-old cleric had been “martyred” during the holy month of Ramadan. The development marks a dramatic escalation in already heightened tensions between Iran and its adversaries.

The semi-official Fars News Agency, which maintains close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that several members of Khamenei’s family, including his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter were also killed in the strikes. The agency said the information was confirmed after contact with individuals close to the supreme leader’s household.

Visual evidence circulating online appeared to show thick plumes of smoke rising from the supreme leader’s compound. Satellite images reviewed by Middle East Eye reportedly indicated extensive structural damage across the area.

Meanwhile, the Tasnim News Agency claimed Khamenei was inside his office when the strikes occurred. However, two unnamed Iranian officials told Reuters that he had been meeting senior figures, including former national security chief Ali Shamkhani and IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, at a secure site shortly before the bombardment began. Their fate remains uncertain.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has vowed retaliation, declaring that Khamenei’s death would usher in what it described as a “new chapter” in Islamic governance and resistance.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump publicly announced the operation, describing it as a decisive blow not only for Americans but also for the Iranian people. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said advanced US intelligence systems had tracked Khamenei’s movements, leaving him with no opportunity to evade the attack.

Calling the moment a turning point, Trump suggested that segments of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and security forces were unwilling to continue fighting and hinted at potential immunity for those who stand down. He also warned that precision airstrikes would persist “throughout the week or as long as necessary” to meet US objectives.

The reported killing of Iran’s most powerful figure signals a profound shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics, with the possibility of swift retaliation and further military escalation across the region.