Iranian state television has confirmed the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following joint strikes by the United States and Israel. A 40-day period of mourning has been declared in the country. The death was reported by Al Jazeera, NBC News, and The Washington Post.
Khamenei, 86, was killed during a strike on his Tehran residence on Saturday, February 28. Citing four Israeli officials, The Washington Post reported the strike directly hit his compound. Reuters, quoting a senior Israeli official, reported that Khamenei's body had been located.
Donald Trump was the first to announce Khamenei's death on his Truth Social platform, branding him "one of the wickedest men in history." Initially, Iranian agencies Tasnim and Mehr claimed Khamenei remained "steady and firm." In an interview with NBC News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated the Supreme Leader was alive—"to the best of my knowledge."
However, hours later, state television and the IRNA agency confirmed the death. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared Khamenei a martyr and vowed revenge. "This pure blood of the respected leader will rise like a gushing spring and uproot American-Zionist oppression," Pezeshkian stated via the semi-official Nour News agency.
Beyond Khamenei, the strikes killed seven high-ranking Iranian officials. IRNA confirmed the deaths of Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour. The IDF also reported the elimination of Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, intelligence chief Saleh Asadi, military bureau head Mohammad Shirazi, and two defense research directors. Trump told NBC News that "most of the people that make the decisions are gone."
The February 28 strikes affected 24 Iranian provinces. According to the Red Crescent, at least 201 people were killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel had eliminated "Revolutionary Guard commanders and senior nuclear program officials." Trump urged the Iranian people to "take power" once the strikes conclude.
Khamenei's death creates an acute succession crisis. Under Iran's constitution, power temporarily passes to a provisional council, while the Assembly of Experts—comprising 88 Islamic theologians—must select a new Supreme Leader. However, according to Axios, the strikes wiped out a significant portion of the command structure. Amid this vacuum, Ali Larijani remains one of the few surviving top officials, promising Israel and the US an "unforgettable lesson" in a post on X.
According to Axios, Israel also targeted Khamenei's sons, though intelligence suggests they survived. Mojtaba Khamenei had previously been viewed as a likely successor to his father.
Iran responded with missile strikes on Israel and US military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Jordan. Debris from an Iranian missile fell in a residential area of Abu Dhabi, killing one person. Qatar's Ministry of Defense intercepted missiles targeting the Al Udeid Air Base. However, experts assess the retaliatory attack as largely ineffective, noting that launch sites were destroyed in advance.
Khamenei had ruled Iran since 1989, succeeding the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. As Supreme Leader, he held ultimate authority over all branches of government, the military, and the judiciary.
The current strikes mark a continuation of massive escalation in the Middle East. On Saturday, the US and Israel launched Operation "Lion's Roar", delivering coordinated strikes on Iranian nuclear, military, and government facilities, including Khamenei's residence. Prior to the confirmation of his death, Israel claimed "very significant" damage to the Iranian regime's leadership, while Tehran asserted Khamenei had been evacuated to a safe location.
Iran's retaliatory actions affected the entire region: Tehran shelled US bases in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq, while witnesses reported a series of explosions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The escalation provoked an emergency response from the international community—ranging from an emergency UN Security Council meeting to a buildup of the British military presence in the region. Analysts warn that the new campaign will be significantly larger than the summer clashes, and conflict with Iran risks impacting military support for Ukraine due to the depletion of air defense stocks.