Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in US‑Israel airstrikes

Tehran, Mar 1: Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed in US-Israel airstrikes, according to Iranian state media.

The Iranian government announced a 40-day mourning after the report of the leaders death.

According to reports, four of his relatives—including his daughter, grandchild, and son-in-law—were also killed during the attack.

Earlier, former US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce Khamenei’s death in the joint US-Israeli strikes, calling it the “single greatest chance” for Iranians to reclaim control of their country.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead,” Trump stated. He described it as “justice for the people of Iran and for all great Americans, as well as people from many countries who have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty thugs.”

Trump claimed that Khamenei “was unable to evade our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems, and, working closely with Israel, there was nothing he—or the other leaders killed alongside him—could do.”

“We are hearing that many members of the IRGC, military, and other security forces no longer want to fight and are seeking immunity from us,” Trump added, repeating a previous warning: “Now they can have immunity; later, they only get death!”

He further claimed that, in a single day, the strikes not only resulted in Khamenei’s death but also “very much destroyed, and even obliterated” the country.

Prior to Trump’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said there were “many signs indicating Khamenei is no longer,” though he stopped short of confirming the news outright. “Khamenei’s compound was destroyed,” Netanyahu stated.

IANS