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The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, may have died following the attacks launched by Israel and the United States against targets in Iran, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that there are "growing signs" that the leader "is no longer alive."
According to media reports, there is no independent confirmation, but a senior Israeli official told Reuters that Khamenei was killed during the attacks.
The uncertainty regarding Khamenei's whereabouts intensified because, according to journalistic reports, some of the initial waves of attacks targeted areas close to his offices, and his residence was believed to be one of the objectives, though it remained unclear whether the leader was there at the time.
Amid uncertainty, Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs, told NBC that the supreme leader survived the attacks: “Almost all officials are safe and sound,” he stated live from Tehran.
In an update quoted by Reuters, Netanyahu suggested that Israel and the U.S. would have eliminated Khamenei, stating that there were "many signs" that the supreme leader "is no longer here."
Meanwhile, senior Israeli officials claimed that Khamenei's body was found among the rubble, a version that has also not been independently verified by neutral sources.
What is known about the military operation and the immediate context?
The operation marked a significant escalation: Washington and Israel attacked Iran this Saturday, and U.S. President Donald Trump issued a message stating that the U.S. had begun "major combat operations" in Iran and urged the Iranian people to "take control" of their government.
In reports cited by Reuters, it was noted that one of the first targets was the headquarters of the supreme leader, as part of attacks against multiple locations in the country.
So far, the available information leaves key questions unanswered: whether Khamenei was in the targeted complex, the actual extent of the damage to facilities related to his security, and, above all, whether there is verifiable official confirmation (from Iran or international organizations) regarding his status.
The only conclusive thing for now is that Israel claims to have indications of his death, while Iran has not provided unequivocal public confirmation in the reviewed reports, keeping the case in the realm of possible death, not of a confirmed fact.
There is no independent confirmation regarding Khamenei's condition.
Who is Khamenei?
At 86 years old, the leader of Iran became the highest authority in the country in 1989, following the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
As the supreme leader, he exercised absolute control over Iran's political, military, and religious institutions, shaping domestic policy and guiding foreign relations.
Israel has long regarded it as a "destabilizing force" in the Middle East, citing its support for Iran's network of militant allies, including the Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah.
In 2025, when Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to eradicate him, stating that the supreme leader "cannot continue to exist."
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