Israeli officials say Ali Khameneiwas killed in a joint US–Israel strike in Tehran, but Iranian authorities deny the claim and call it “psychological warfare.”
The operation targeted nuclear sites, missile facilities and senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders in what Israel described as one of its most extensive strikes against Iran.
Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel and US-linked sites in the Gulf, while Donald Trump warned Washington would respond to any further attacks on American forces.
Senior Israeli officials have confirmed to Reuters that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, was killed during the massive joint US-Israeli military operation that struck deep into the heart of the Islamic Republic late on February 28.
According to multiple Israeli sources, Khamenei’s body was recovered from the heavily damaged compound in Tehran that served as one of his primary residences and command centers. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address, declared there were “growing signs” and “all indications” that “this tyrant is no longer with us,” adding that proof—including photographs of the recovered body—had been presented to both himself and US President Donald Trump.
US intelligence sources, cited by Fox News and other outlets, believe Khamenei was among five to ten senior figures eliminated in the opening wave of strikes, which also targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile sites, and high-ranking Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) commanders. The operation, described by Israeli officials as one of the most precise and far-reaching in the country’s history, aimed to cripple Iran’s ability to coordinate retaliation and project power across the region.
Iranian state media and government spokespeople have continued to deny the Supreme Leader’s death, insisting he remains “safe and sound,” “steadfast,” and “firmly commanding the field.” Official channels, including Tasnim and Mehr news agencies, have branded foreign reports as “psychological warfare” and “Zionist-American propaganda.” However, no new video, audio message, or public appearance by Khamenei has surfaced since the strikes began, deepening uncertainty inside Iran and abroad.
The strikes triggered immediate Iranian retaliation. Overnight, Tehran launched waves of ballistic missiles and Shahed drones targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab states hosting American military facilities. A particularly dramatic attack struck near the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, where footage showed thick black smoke rising from burning buildings after a drone impact. Explosions were also reported in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and other locations, prompting civilian evacuations, airspace closures, and widespread panic across the region.
President Trump, speaking from the White House, framed the military action as a historic opportunity, stating it would “give the Iranian people a real chance to topple their oppressive rulers once and for all.” He added that the United States would not allow its forces in the region to “sit back and absorb attacks.”
