Iranian authorities have confirmed that the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in attacks carried out by the United States and Israel, according to state media reports.
State television announced the development on Sunday. It also declared a 40-day period of national mourning and seven public holidays in honour of the late leader, who had ruled the country since 1989.
“With the martyrdom of the supreme leader, his path and mission neither will be lost nor will be forgotten, on the other hand, they will be pursued with greater vigour and zeal,” a presenter said.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to retaliate. The group warned that those responsible for the killing would face consequences.
“The hand of revenge of the Iranian nation for a severe, decisive and regrettable punishment for the murderers of the Imam of the Ummah will not let go of them,” the Guards said in a statement.
Reports from Iranian media indicated that members of Khamenei’s family were also killed. These include his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.
“After establishing contact with informed sources in the Supreme Leader’s household, the news of the martyrdom of the daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter of the Revolutionary Leader has unfortunately been confirmed,” Fars news agency and other Iranian media reported.
Earlier, both Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Khamenei had been killed during coordinated strikes.
“This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty thugs,” Trump said.
“This morning, in a powerful surprise attack, we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
According to sources familiar with the operation, the attack was timed to coincide with a high-level meeting involving Khamenei and his close aides in Tehran. Intelligence reportedly tracked his movements before the strike was launched.
Israeli officials claimed that other senior figures were also killed in the operation. These include Ali Shamkhani and Mohammad Pakpour.
A senior Israeli official said Khamenei’s body had been recovered after the strike. Satellite images reviewed by Reuters showed that a high-security compound linked to him in Tehran had been destroyed.
Trump said intelligence and tracking systems played a key role in the operation.
“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,” Trump said.
Iran has since vowed to respond, as tensions in the region continue to rise following the development.
