Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been killed following coordinated military strikes by Israel and the United States, according to Reuters.
Reuters cited a senior Israeli official who claimed that Khamenei died during attacks targeting Iran’s top leadership. However, as of press time, there has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities.
The development comes after joint US–Israeli strikes on Iran earlier on Saturday, aimed at senior figures within the country’s leadership, further intensifying tensions across the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump said the operation was intended to eliminate what he described as a security threat to the United States and to give the Iranian people an opportunity to confront their leadership, Reuters reported.
Satellite images released after the strikes reportedly showed extensive damage and thick smoke rising from a compound in Tehran believed to be associated with Khamenei.
Khamenei, 86, became Iran’s highest authority in 1989 after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. During his tenure, Iran expanded its regional influence, supporting allied groups across the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Israeli officials have long regarded Khamenei as a destabilizing figure in the region, according to Reuters.