Reports from Iranian state media and international sources confirm that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has been killed during a large-scale military operation launched jointly by the United States and Israel — a dramatic and unprecedented escalation in Middle East tensions.

According to Iran’s state-run news agencies, Khamenei, 86, died in the early hours of Saturday when airstrikes hit his compound in Tehran during the ongoing offensive. The Iranian government has declared 40 days of national mourning and a week-long public holiday in his honour.

Claims and Confirmation

Israeli Prime Minister ‏Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President ‏Donald Trump (speaking on social media) both announced Khamenei’s death soon after the strikes, with Trump describing it as a form of “justice” for the Iranian people and victims of Tehran’s policies.

Iranian official media later confirmed the loss, reporting that Khamenei was at his workplace when the strikes occurred. The announcement described him as having died “performing his assigned duties,” and declared an extended period of mourning for the nation.

Regional Tensions and Response

The strikes mark one of the most significant military actions against Iran in decades and have plunged the Middle East into deep uncertainty. Iranian authorities — including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — have vowed to retaliate with “the heaviest offensive in history” against Israel in response to what they called a “barbaric” attack on their leadership.

Global concerns are mounting as international leaders call for restraint while the region braces for potential escalation.

Legacy and Succession Crisis

Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1989 after succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, shaped the nation’s domestic and foreign policy for more than three decades, overseeing its nuclear ambitions, regional proxy networks, and internal political repression. His death now leaves a power vacuum at the top of Iran’s theocratic establishment, with no clear successor yet named.