Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in a major joint military operation carried out by the United States and Israel, Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday. He was 86.
According to official Iranian sources, the strike targeted Khamenei’s heavily fortified compound late Saturday, killing him along with close family members, including his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. US President Donald Trump later confirmed the operation, stating that advanced American intelligence and tracking systems ensured the success of the attack.
“This was a decisive operation. He could not escape,” Trump said, describing it as a turning point in US-Iran relations.
Khamenei had ruled Iran since 1989, shaping the country’s domestic and foreign policies for nearly four decades. Under his leadership, Iran developed a powerful military network, expanded regional influence through proxy groups, and maintained a hardline stance against Western powers, especially the US and Israel.
His leadership transformed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) into a dominant political, economic, and military force. He also spearheaded Iran’s “resistance economy,” aimed at reducing reliance on foreign trade amid strict international sanctions.
Throughout his rule, Khamenei faced major internal challenges, including mass protests in 2009, 2019, and 2022, often responding with forceful crackdowns. Critics accused him of suppressing political freedoms and blocking economic reforms, while supporters praised his resistance against foreign influence.
The assassination comes amid intense regional conflict following months of escalating hostilities, failed nuclear negotiations, and renewed US-Israeli military operations inside Iran.
Global leaders have expressed deep concern, warning that Khamenei’s death could push the Middle East toward an unprecedented level of instability.
