Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, may have been killed during coordinated strikes carried out by Israel and the United States on Saturday, 28 February.
Addressing reporters following the military operation, Netanyahu said available intelligence suggested that the Iranian leader might no longer be alive. He described Khamenei as a tyrant and confirmed that Israeli and American forces had targeted a compound linked to Iran’s leadership earlier in the day.
While stopping short of an official confirmation, the Israeli prime minister stated that the possibility of Khamenei’s death could not be ruled out.
In a statement, Netanyahu said: “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 program - and we will continue. In the next few days, we will hit thousands more targets of the terror regime.”
The remarks followed an escalation in hostilities between Tehran and the allied forces of Israel and the United States. The reported strike forms part of a broader military campaign targeting Iranian strategic and security installations.
Iranian authorities have yet to issue an official response confirming or denying the status of their Supreme Leader. The absence of formal clarification has fuelled speculation as tensions continue to rise across the region.
Security analysts say any confirmed death of Iran’s top authority would represent a major turning point in the conflict and could reshape political and military dynamics within the Islamic Republic and beyond.