Iran-Israel war: Khamenei ‘is no longer’ alive, claims Israel’s Netanyahu

“This morning we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, adding that for more than 30 years Khamenei had “dispatched terrorism across the world, made his own people miserable, and worked constantly and tirelessly on a program to annihilate the state of Israel”.

“There are many signs that this tyrant is no longer. ‌This morning we eliminated senior officials in the ayatollahs’ regime, Revolutionary Guards commanders, ⁠senior figures in the nuclear programme – and we will continue. In the next few days, we will hit thousands more targets of the terror regime,” Netanyahu said.

Also read: Israel attacks Iran with US’ help amid nuclear talks; Tehran hits back with missiles

In addition to Netanyahu’s claims, a senior Israeli official told Reuters that Khamenei’s body has been discovered.

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There was no immediate Iranian confirmation of his fate by Iran. The United States and Israel carried out military strikes on Iran on Saturday, targeting ‌its top leaders ⁠and ⁠plunging the Middle East into a conflict that President Donald Trump said would end a security threat to the U.S. and give Iranians a chance to topple their rulers.
Also read: Israel attacks Iran with US’ help amid nuclear talks; Tehran hits back with missilesKhamenei, 86, became Iran’s highest authority in 1989, following the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. As supreme leader, he held ultimate control over Iran’s political, military and religious institutions, shaping domestic policy and guiding foreign relations.

Israel long saw him as a destabilizing force in the Middle East, citing his backing for ⁠Iran’s network ‌of militant allies, including Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. When Israel and Iran fought a 12-day air war in June 2025, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to assassinate ⁠him, saying the supreme leader “cannot continue to exist.”

That war saw Israel launch a surprise strike that struck Iran’s underground nuclear site, killed senior commanders and nuclear scientists, and wiped out much of the military leadership. Khamenei’s killing deals another blow to a country already reeling from war and economic hardship.

Khamenei upheld the conservative vision of his predecessor, Khomeini, quashing the ambitions of elected presidents who sought more open policies at home and abroad. Under his rule, authorities crushed repeated protests and sidelined reformists pushing for less confrontation with the ‌West.

Iran became a powerful regional anti-U.S. force under Khamenei, extending its influence across the Middle East. He backed the 2015 nuclear deal brokered with world powers and pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani, which briefly eased Iran’s isolation. ⁠But tensions spiked after U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the accord in 2018 and reimposed sanctions.

Since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Iran has seen its allies weakened. Hamas and Hezbollah suffered heavy blows from Israel, while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, long propped up by Tehran, was toppled in December 2024.

The post of Supreme Leader was created after the 1979 revolution and enshrined in Iran’s constitution, giving a top cleric ultimate authority over the president and parliament. The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body vetted by a hardline watchdog aligned with Khamenei, formally selects the leader.