Israel says Khamenei is dead

Israel says Khameni is dead — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 2025. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/leader.ir/via iKurd.net

JERUSALEM,— Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested on Saturday that Israel and the United States had killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and urged Iranians to take to the streets to complete the effort.

He said there were several indications that Khamenei “is no longer,” without directly confirming his death.

Netanyahu added that Khamenei’s compound had been destroyed, and that commanders of the Revolutionary Guard and senior nuclear officials were eliminated. Other officials later said Khamenei’s body had been found.

Trump says Khamenei is dead

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Iran confirms Khamenei is dead after US, Israeli attacks

Iranian state media later confirmed that Khamenei had died following attacks by the United States and Israel.

State media reported that Khamenei “was carrying out his assigned duties and was present at his workplace (his office)” at the time of the attack.

“This cowardly attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning,” state media said in its report.

Witnesses said that after reports of Khamenei’s death began to circulate, some Iranians gathered in the streets of the capital, Tehran, as well as in the nearby city of Karaj and the central city of Isfahan.

Videos shared on social media appeared to show people celebrating in those areas. Other footage posted online also showed gatherings and celebrations in additional locations.

Earlier, Iran’s Al-Alam television had reported that Khamenei would make a public address, but no such speech was broadcast by late Saturday.

The United States and Israel carried out attacks on Iran on Saturday, striking its top leaders and calling for the government’s removal. In response, Iran fired missiles at Israel and neighboring Gulf countries.

President Donald Trump described the attacks as a major foreign-policy move, aiming to remove a security threat and prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

He urged Iranian security forces to lay down arms and encouraged citizens to overthrow their government after the strikes ended.

Tehran called the attacks unprovoked and illegal. Explosions across the country caused panic in cities as residents rushed to collect children from schools and move to safer locations.

“We are scared, we are terrified. My children are shaking, we have nowhere to go, we will die here,” said Minou, 32, a mother of two, speaking by phone to Reuters from Tabriz in northern Iran.

The strikes hit multiple locations throughout Iran in the morning, leaving communities on edge and emergency services scrambling to respond. No independent confirmation of casualties or the situation of top Iranian officials was immediately available.

(With files from Reuters)