Iran Confirms Death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli Strikes

Iranian state media have confirmed the death of Ali Khamenei, who was killed at his office during joint United States and Israeli airstrikes, marking a dramatic escalation in the rapidly unfolding conflict between Tehran and its adversaries.

The announcement came Sunday, with authorities declaring a 40-day national mourning period for the 86-year-old leader, who had ruled Iran since 1989. Earlier reports by Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr had insisted that Khamenei remained “steadfast and firm in commanding the field,” dismissing initial claims of his death.

The confirmation followed a statement by US President Donald Trump, who earlier wrote on his Truth Social platform that Khamenei had been killed in coordinated US-Israeli strikes that began early Saturday.

“He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump stated. He described the development as “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” and expressed hope that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and police would “peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier indicated there were “growing signs” that the Iranian leader had been killed. Reuters, citing a senior Israeli official, also reported that Khamenei’s body had been located.

Khamenei became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini, the architect of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. During his decades-long rule, Khamenei oversaw Iran’s political, military, and religious institutions, shaping the country’s foreign policy posture toward the United States, Israel, and the broader Middle East.

While Iranian authorities had long prepared contingency plans in the event of his assassination during wartime, his death injects profound uncertainty into the region. Analysts warn that the killing of Iran’s highest authority could trigger retaliatory measures, internal power struggles, or wider regional confrontation.

With tensions already high across the Middle East, global leaders are now closely watching Tehran’s next steps, amid fears that the conflict could further escalate beyond its current scope.