Despite some initial debate, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed during the airstrikes Saturday morning, Israeli officials report.
“Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in an Israeli strike on Tehran, with his body found under the rubble caused by an Israeli airstrike, senior Israeli officials were informed on Saturday evening,” the Jerusalem Post reports. “Documentation of Khamenei's body was reportedly shown to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Khamenei has ruled the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1989, previously serving as president under Ruhollah Khomeini’s regime from 1981 until his ascension to supreme leader.
He was 86 years old.
Earlier on Saturday, Iranian officials promised to release a recording from Khamenei soon after Israeli strikes targeted his Tehran compound.
The preliminary assessment among Israeli officials was that Khamenei was hurt in the strike.
No official confirmation has been received by Israeli, American, or Iranian sources.
In the immediate aftermath of the U.S.–Israeli strikes, there was a several‑hour window where no one could say for sure whether Khamenei was dead, wounded, or merely in hiding.
Israeli TV, citing unnamed intelligence sources, quickly assessed that Khamenei had “likely” been killed when his compound in Tehran was flattened, but officials in Israel, the U.S., and Iran all stopped short of formal confirmation, stressing that his fate was still uncertain.
BREAKING 🔴
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 28, 2026
Netanyahu has viewed footage showing the body of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, marking what officials describe as the end of an era.
An Israeli official also confirmed to Axios that Khamenei was killed.
Why it matters: The 86-year-old Khamenei led Iran for 35 years, making him one of the world's longest-serving authoritarian rulers. His death is a massive blow to the regime and could accelerate its collapse, which U.S. and Israeli officials have stated as a goal of their operation.
The big picture: Khamenei's killing sets off an immediate succession crisis with no clear answer.
Under Iran's constitution, a council of clerics is meant to select a new supreme leader — but Israel's strikes also targeted senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and political leaders, leaving the regime's chain of command in disarray.
Israeli officials say they assess the Iranian minister of defense and the commander of the IRGC were also among those killed in targeted strikes on Saturday.
Yes, it's official:
🚨 MAJOR BREAKING — IT’S OFFICIAL: Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei is DEAD
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 28, 2026
Holy crap.
President Trump ACTUALLY did it. pic.twitter.com/34abBm1i8e
BREAKING: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei confirmed dead after Israeli strike. pic.twitter.com/93y4aFHyod
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 28, 2026
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) once again had a sensible reaction:
Let’s see who grieves for that garbage. https://t.co/uhHpyXL7bR
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) February 28, 2026
This story is developing. Stay tuned for details.
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