Update: Donald Trump issued a statement confirming and celebrating Khamenei’s death Saturday evening.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. 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. 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 wrote via a lengthy Truth Social post.
View it in full below:
The president added that the U.S. and Israeli forces will continue “heavy and pinpoint bombing” throughout the week — “or as long as necessary.”
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us,” Trump continued. “As I said last night, ‘Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!’ Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves. That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated. The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”
Original story: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in Saturday’s bombing strikes, along with several military commanders, senior regime officials and nuclear officials, according to several U.S. and Israeli media reports.
N12 News first reported Saturday that “Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei – has been eliminated” on X, citing a senior Israeli official it did not name. Fox, CNN, the AP and others reported shortly after that he was killed in a strike on his compound in Tehran.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted earlier in the day that there was growing evidence that Khamenei “is no more,” but did not confirm the supreme leader’s death at the time, even as Israeli news organizations reported that his body had been found in the ruins of a bombing strike.
N12 News chief political correspondent Amit Segal posted Saturday on X that Khamenei was killed by Israeli forces, and that American military was not involved.
President Trump on Saturday told NBC that he believes the reports of Khamenei’s death are true.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of people beyond and we feel certain, we feel, we feel that that is a correct story,” he told NBC News in a phone call. “The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone.”
The United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes on Iran early Saturday, triggering retaliatory missile attacks and raising fears of a widening regional conflict.
Large explosions rocked Tehran beginning around 9 a.m. local time, with blasts continuing into the evening. Israel military officials said roughly 500 sites were targeted across Iran, including ballistic missile installations and air defense systems. U.S. officials said American attack aircraft operating from regional bases and aircraft carriers struck Iranian military assets in support.
Satellite imagery showed heavy damage and smoke rising from a high-security compound associated with Khamenei. Israel said the opening wave of strikes targeted a gathering of senior Iranian officials.
In response, Iran fired multiple waves of ballistic missiles toward Israel. Israeli authorities reported minor injuries as air defense systems intercepted incoming projectiles. Several Gulf nations — including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait — said they also came under attack, while Jordan reported missile activity over its territory. The United Arab Emirates said falling debris from an Iranian missile killed at least one person.
The escalating violence disrupted commercial airline travel and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Shipping companies reported halted traffic, and the U.S. Maritime Administration advised vessels to avoid the Persian Gulf, including the strait.
President Donald Trump, who had publicly threatened action against Iran in recent weeks, said in a video message posted Saturday that the strikes were aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear program and military capabilities. He vowed to “raze their missile industry to the ground” and “annihilate their navy,” and suggested the campaign could lead to the overthrow of Iran’s government.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attacks, saying Iran’s armed forces would “teach aggressors the lesson they deserve” and accusing the United States of acting in Israel’s interest.
