US President Donald Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed in coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Tehran, marking a dramatic escalation in the widening conflict across the Middle East.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the reported killing as “justice” for “the people of Iran”, Americans, and “people from many countries throughout the world”. He added that bombing would continue and called the moment “this is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country”. Trump also claimed that many Iranian forces “no longer want to fight”.
Neither Iran nor its state media have confirmed Khamenei’s death. Iranian officials have rejected the reports, with a presenter on state television urging citizens to ignore what was described as the “enemy’s psychological propaganda”.
Satellite Images Show Damage in Tehran
“Before and after” satellite images circulating in international media show significant damage to Khamenei’s compound in Tehran. The United States and Israel launched strikes across multiple locations in Iran. Earlier, Israel identified seven officials it says were killed in the campaign, though it did not include Khamenei among them.
By early evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address that the supreme leader was “gone”, though he stopped short of declaring him “dead”. Several Israeli and US outlets, citing unnamed officials, later reported that there was little doubt about Khamenei’s fate.
The reported death would represent a defining moment in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its long-hostile relationship with both Israel and the United States.
Regional Retaliation and Civilian Toll
Iran responded with attacks across the Middle East. Apparent Iranian strikes were reported in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait, locations that host US military bases or are allied with Washington.
According to the Red Crescent, more than 200 people have been killed across Iran. Iranian media reported that at least 85 of those deaths occurred when an airstrike struck a girls’ school.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for selecting a new supreme leader, could be meeting or preparing to convene. Officials have not publicly confirmed any succession process.
Uncertain Political Future
Trump’s announcement signals that he views the strikes as a decisive victory and potentially the start of a short campaign. He suggested the military action could last about a week, shorter than last year’s 12 days of Israeli airstrikes in Iran and far shorter than past US campaigns in Iraq in 1991 or Kosovo in 1999.
Still, major questions remain. Trump has repeatedly framed the moment as an opportunity for Iranians to “take back” their country, but he has not identified who would govern if the Islamic Republic were to fall. He has previously questioned whether exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has sufficient support.
As the conflict unfolds, the administration faces pressure at home. Trump campaigned on ending prolonged foreign wars. In the coming days, he and his allies are expected to argue that this operation reflects what he calls “peace through strength”.
