Iranian state media have confirmed the killing of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, following a barrage of missile strikes allegedly carried out by Israel and the United States on Saturday.
Khamenei’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also reportedly killed in the military operation.
Debate over whether Khamenei was indeed among those killed in the joint operation raged across the world late Saturday, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu choosing his words carefully when he said, “There are many signs the supreme leader is no longer with us.”
“The Supreme Leader of Iran has reached martyrdom,” state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on Sunday morning.
“This great scholar and mujahid (fighter) sacrificed his life to uplift Iran… and he is in the grand presence of martyrs above,” Mehr News Agency, a state-affiliated outlet, said.
Khamenei, Iran’s religious and political leader, was 86 years old. He had led the country since 1989.
Iran has announced 40 days of national mourning for Khamenei.
US President Donald Trump had earlier announced Khamenei’s death in a post on Truth Social.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead,” Trump wrote.
“This is not only justice for the people of Iran, but for all great Americans and those from many countries throughout the world who have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty thugs.
“He was unable to evade our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems, and, working closely with Israel, there was nothing he or other leaders killed alongside him could do.”
In an earlier broadcast on the operation, Trump said he was pursuing regime change in Iran, urging the “Iranian people to take back their country.”
Khamenei was reportedly meeting with several top aides when the building was struck.
Iran retaliated with drone strikes across several Gulf countries, with airports and shopping malls in Dubai reportedly affected.
The UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait closed their airspace on Saturday as Iran targeted US civilian and military assets in the Middle East.
