FILE -- Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, speaks after casting his vote in the presidential election, in Tehran on June 28, 2024. Israeli forces bombarded multiple parts of the capital, Tehran, on Saturday, Feb. 28, targeting at least one gathering of the country's senior officials and military leaders, the Israeli military said. The status of much of the leadership remains unknown. (Arash Khamooshi/The New York Times)ARASH KHAMOOSHI
NYT

US-Iran Strikes: Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei Killed

· The Fresno Bee

Iran‘s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, according to reports.

The death of the Islamic Republic leader marks a major achievement for President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who both called for regime change and urged Iranians to rise up against the clerical government in the wake of the strikes.

Israeli officials initially said they saw “signs” that Khamenei was dead, but later said they had confirmed his death, saying his body had been found, Reuters reported. 

Satellite imagery on Saturday showed Khamenei’s presidential compound in Tehran flattened, but there was uncertainty over the leader’s whereabouts for several hours.

Iranian officials declined to say with certainty that Khamanei was alive, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying soon after the strikes the leader was still alive “as far as I know”.

Earlier, there were reports that Khamanei had been relocated to a secure facility according to Iranian officials. Hours after the strikes, Iranian media also broadcast that Khamanei would be delivering an address to the nation. But that did not happen.

Khamanei, 86, had ruled the Islamic Republic for 36 years after becoming its second leader in 1989, a decade after rising to prominence in the theocratic revolution which toppled Iran’s monarchy.

The killing of Iran’s most senior leader now leaves a critical gap in leadership in Iran, which Trump says provides an opportunity to Iranians to rise up and overthrow their government.

The U.S.-Israeli military operation code-named “Epic Fury” targeted several high-level Iranian officials including Khamenei and the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose whereabouts are also unknown.

In a video address shortly after the first strikes, Trump told Iranian protesters the U.S. action would provide “probably your only chance for generations” to force regime change.

“Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump said in a video message posted shortly after the strikes started.

The CIA has assessed that Khamanei will most likely be replaced by hardline figures from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, officials told Reuters.

Trump said the U.S. strikes were aimed at ending a security threat to Americans and ensuring Iran could not develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has denied seeking a nuclear weapon and insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

This is a breaking news story. Updates will follow.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published February 28, 2026 at 11:59 AM.