Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed during the massive joint US-Israeli strikes on the country.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” US President Donald Trump wrote on social media. “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. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.”
An X account for Khamenei confirmed his death shortly thereafter, with a post in Persian which, when translated, read “In the name of Nami Haider (peace be upon him).” Iranian state media reported on his death early Sunday morning.
Khamenei, 86, was in power for almost 40 years, and his reign was marked by high tensions with the US and the West more broadly, as well as a recent brutal crackdown on Iranians protesting high inflation. Tensions with the US have centered on Iran’s longstanding support for terrorism and its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
In recent weeks, as the US urged Iran to make a new nuclear deal, the American military has been building up its forces in the Middle East. The buildup has been accompanied by heated rhetoric and warnings from both Washington and Tehran.
Missiles struck several high-value targets in and around Tehran, including Khamenei’s compound near Tehran and his offices in the capital. Khamenei’s location during the strikes was previously unknown.
During President Donald Trump’s video statement announcing the start of “major combat operations” against Iran on Saturday morning, the president called for Iranian citizens to “take over your government.” He said, “This will be probably your only chance for generations.” Trump has recently made similar comments in favor of regime change in Iran.
Separately, Israel has repeatedly issued threats against Khamenei. In June 2025, after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Khamenei “cannot continue to exist,” calling him a dictator. Other Israeli officials, like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have made similar statements.
Khamenei became Supreme Leader in 1989, acting as the ultimate authority across all branches of the Iranian government and the military. Khamenei was also the country’s religious leader and was granted the title of ayatollah, a title for high-ranking clerics in Shia Islam, Iran’s official state religion.
His death marks a major upheaval amid US combat operations against Iran, which both the US and Israel said was aimed at eliminating imminent threats to Americans and Israelis. The American operation, called “Epic Fury,” has involved a mixture of land, air, and sea assets, including Tomahawk missiles, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, and drones.
It remains to be seen how Khamenei’s death will affect the fate of Iran’s regime, which is bolstered by the hardline Revolutionary Guard Corps and a vast internal security force.
Iran’s retaliatory strikes targeted US bases across the region, with US assets and partner forces, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, involved in air defenses.
