New Delhi, Mar 01 : Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a series of overnight airstrikes conducted by the United States and Israel, Iranian state media officially confirmed on Sunday.
According to the state-run IRNA news agency, the Ayatollah succumbed in the attacks which also resulted in the death of his daughter, a grandchild, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law. The confirmation came hours after US President Donald Trump indicated that the Iranian leader had been eliminated in the military operation.
Officials familiar with the developments said the strikes targeted key leadership compounds in Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that there were “strong indications” that Khamenei “is no longer” and urged the Iranian people to “finish the job.” Mr. Netanyahu further claimed that the Supreme Leader’s residence was destroyed and that senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and nuclear officials were also killed.
In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces struck locations that posed an “imminent threat,” including “IRGC command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields.”
Prior to the confirmation of the leadership’s fate, Iran had launched retaliatory missile and drone barrages toward Israel and US military installations in the region. The Israeli military reported that “dozens” of projectiles were fired from Iran, adding that while many were intercepted and no serious injuries were reported initially, the attacks continued after nightfall on Saturday.
Meanwhile, official Iranian media briefly attempted to counter the narrative. The head of public relations at the Supreme Leader’s office was quoted by state media as accusing the country’s enemies of resorting to “mental warfare,” following the circulation of Israeli reports regarding the Ayatollah’s death.
Regional reactions have begun to emerge, with a divide apparent among Arab nations. Countries maintaining diplomatic ties with Israel, including Morocco, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, issued condemnations of the Iranian strikes on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. However, these governments remained silent on the initial US-Israeli offensive.
In Europe, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced an emergency security meeting of the European Union scheduled for Monday regarding the escalating conflict. “For regional security and stability, it is of the utmost importance that there is no further escalation through Iran’s unjustified attacks on partners in the region,” Ms. von der Leyen stated on social media.
