MANILA, Philippines – Iranian state television confirmed Sunday that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic’s highest authority for more than three decades, was killed during coordinated airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel, prompting authorities to declare a 40-day national mourning period.
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| Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in US-Israel attack. Photo courtesy: Reuters |
The announcement ended hours of uncertainty and conflicting battlefield reports, with officials saying the 86-year-old cleric died inside his Tehran office when precision strikes targeted key political and military command centers.
U.S. President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged the operation, saying it was intended to dismantle Iran’s leadership structure and would continue uninterrupted until what he described as lasting peace in the Middle East was secured.
People familiar with the planning said the assault followed weeks of lobbying by Israel and Saudi Arabia, both urging Washington to curb Tehran’s regional influence and military reach.
Earlier dispatches from state-linked news agencies had insisted that Khamenei remained active in directing operations, but the confirmation of his death quickly dominated domestic broadcasts.
In response, Tehran launched retaliatory strikes toward Israeli and allied positions, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps heightened readiness, fueling fears of a broader regional confrontation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited growing signs that the supreme leader had been eliminated, and international news reports later said officials had located his body.
Khamenei, who assumed power after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, shaped decades of domestic policy and foreign strategy that defined modern Iran.
His assassination now leaves the country facing an uncertain succession and deepens the risk that an already volatile conflict could escalate into a wider war with global consequences.
— The Summit Express