Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may have been killed in an Israeli strike on his compound on Saturday, Israeli media reports suggest. “Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in an Israeli strike on Tehran, with his body found under the rubble, senior Israeli officials were informed on Saturday evening,” the Jerusalem Post reported Saturday evening.
Khamenei, the tyrant who massacred thousands of Iranians during the recent uprising, was at the top of the list when Israel began the decapitation strikes in the early morning hours. “Israel’s initial strikes on Iran this morning reportedly targeted some 30 key Iranian regime leaders and military chiefs, headed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,” The Times of Israel reported.
If the news is confirmed, it will be ironic that Khamenei, who concluded his weekly prayers with the chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” was ultimately killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation.
While the Israeli government and military leadership have not commented on the matter, there is growing optimism in Jerusalem that the 86-year-old dictator has been eliminated. According to the news outlet, “Israeli officials have been widely quoted asserting that Khamenei was likely killed — in what is believed to be the first time Israel has directly sought to kill a serving head of a sovereign state — but there has been no official Israeli comment on this.”
Israel’s Ynetnews reported the details of the Israeli decapitation operation:
The military struck multiple sites in Tehran early Saturday where senior Iranian officials had gathered, delivering the opening blow of Operation Roaring Lion. Officials in Israel expressed cautious optimism that several top figures may have been killed.Among those believed to have been targeted — and possibly eliminated — are Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; his close adviser Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Gen. Mohammad Pakpour; Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh; armed forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi; and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.The opening strikes occurred at about 8:10 a.m., when the military simultaneously attacked several locations in Tehran where senior political and security officials were convening. U.S. reports said Israel — not the United States — carried out the strike on Iran’s leadership as part of a division of responsibilities between the two countries.The operational plan was developed over months and centered on an intensive intelligence effort to identify an opportunity when senior regime figures would be gathered. The decision was made to strike in the morning rather than overnight, achieving what officials described as tactical surprise despite heightened Iranian readiness. Military intelligence significantly expanded its target bank in preparation for the operation.The operational plan was developed over months and centered on an intensive intelligence effort to identify an opportunity when senior regime figures would be gathered. The decision was made to strike in the morning rather than overnight, achieving what officials described as tactical surprise despite heightened Iranian readiness. Military intelligence significantly expanded its target bank in preparation for the operation.
In a televised speech, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Khamenei has been eliminated. “This morning, in a powerful surprise strike, the compound of the tyrant Ali Khamenei was destroyed in the heart of Tehran … and there are many signs that this tyrant is no longer alive,” he said Saturday evening.
Earlier, the Israeli intelligence had informed the prime minister of Khamenei’s death, the German state broadcaster DW TV reported:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was presented with proof that Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had been killed in the joint Israeli-US strikes on Tehran this morning, Israeli outlet N12 reports.According to the report, Netanyahu and the heads of Israel’s security establishment saw a photo of Khamenei’s body.Separately, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported Khamenei’s body had been located.
Responding to the news, President Donald Trump said that the reports of Khamenei’s killing appeared to be “correct,” NBC News reported:
President Donald Trump on Saturday said the administration believes reports stating that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died in the strikes against the country “is a correct story.”In a phone call with NBC News, the president said that Khamenei has “killed many people” and has “destroyed a country.”Asked when he’ll receive confirmation about Khamenei’s status, Trump said, “I’ve spoken to a lot of people beyond, and we feel certain, we feel, we feel that that is a correct story.”“The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone,” he said, adding that “a large amount of leadership” in Iran was also killed, although he declined to go into more details.
There were reports of public celebrations in Iran over Khamenei’s reported death, possibly ending his 36-year-long reign.
UPDATE: 5:33 PM – Trump confirmed Khamenei’s death:
UPDATE: 9:30 PM – Iran confirms Khamenei death.
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