Trump says Khamenei killed

2026-03-01 - 00:03

WASHINGTON — A major joint military operation by the United States and Israel has killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, US President Donald Trump announced Saturday, describing the assassination as giving Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back the country.” The reported killing of the 86-year-old leader, who had ruled Iran since 1989, marks a dramatic escalation in US involvement and raises uncertainty over the future of the Islamic Republic, with no clear successor in place. In a nationally televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “growing signs” Khamenei had been killed when Israel struck his compound early Saturday. Two Israeli officials later said his death had been confirmed, speaking on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. The strikes open a new chapter in US-Iran tensions, marking the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has attacked Iran during negotiations over its nuclear program. Khamenei held final authority over all major policies in Iran, overseeing the clerical establishment and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, the two primary power centers of the state. His death is expected to create a significant leadership vacuum. As reports of his killing spread, some residents in Tehran were seen celebrating, according to eyewitness accounts. In a video address announcing “major combat operations,” Trump urged Iranians to “seize control of your destiny” and later “take over your government” once the campaign concludes. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones targeting Israel and US military bases in the region, and exchanges of fire continued into the night. The US military said it suffered no casualties and only minimal damage despite what it described as “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.” Targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields, according to US officials. Israeli authorities said the strikes also killed senior Iranian military figures, including the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s defense minister, as well as the secretary of the Iranian Security Council. The reported death of Khamenei, if fully confirmed by Tehran, would represent the most consequential development in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and could reshape the political landscape of the region.