Iran-Israel war: Khamenei ‘is no longer’ alive, claims Israel’s Netanyahu
“This morning we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei,” Netanyahu said in the video statement, adding that for more than 30 years, Khamenei had “distributed terror around the world, devastated his own people, and worked constantly and tirelessly on his program to destroy the state of Israel.”
“There are many signs that this tyrant is no more. This morning we eliminated senior officials in the Ayatollah regime, Revolutionary Guard commanders, senior figures in the nuclear program, and we will continue. We will hit thousands more targets of the terrorist regime in the next few days,” Netanyahu said.
Also read: Israel attacks Iran with US help amid nuclear talks; Tehran responded with missiles
Adding to Netanyahu’s claims, a senior Israeli official told Reuters that Khamenei’s body had been found.
There has been no confirmation from Iran regarding his fate. The United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on Saturday, targeting Iran’s top leaders and plunging the Middle East into a conflict that President Donald Trump says will end the security threat to the United States and give the Iranians a chance to overthrow their rulers.
Also read: Israel attacks Iran with US help amid nuclear talks; Tehran responded with missiles Khamenei, 86, became Iran’s highest authority in 1989 following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. As the religious leader, he retained ultimate control over Iran’s political, military and religious institutions, shaping domestic policy and directing foreign relations.
Israel has long viewed it as a destabilizing force in the Middle East, citing its support for Iran’s network of militant allies, including Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. When Israel and Iran waged a 12-day air war in June 2025, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to assassinate the religious leader, saying he “cannot continue to exist.”
This war saw Israel launch a surprise attack that struck Iran’s underground nuclear facility, killing top commanders and nuclear scientists and eliminating most of the military leadership. Khamenei’s killing dealt a new blow to the country, which was already in the grip of war and economic distress.
By supporting the conservative vision of his predecessor Khomeini, Khamenei suppressed the ambitions of elected presidents who sought more open policies at home and abroad. Under his rule, authorities cracked down on repeated protests and pushed aside reformists who pressed for “less conflict with the West.”
Under Khamenei, Iran has become a powerful regional anti-US power and has spread its influence throughout the Middle East. He supported the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani that briefly eased Iran’s isolation. However, tensions escalated after US President Donald Trump abandoned the agreement and reimposed sanctions in 2018.
Since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Iran has seen its allies weakened. While Hamas and Hezbollah received heavy blows from Israel, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who had long been supported by Tehran, was overthrown in December 2024.
The office of Religious Leader was created after the 1979 revolution and is enshrined in Iran’s constitution, giving a senior cleric ultimate authority over the president and parliament. The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member religious body vetted by a strict watchdog close to Khamenei, officially elects the leader.
