Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nation’s most powerful political and religious figure, has been killed on Saturday, February 28, in a major joint military operation carried out by the United States and Israel, Iranian state media and foreign officials confirmed Sunday.

The operation, which began early Saturday and was described by U.S. and Israeli authorities as a pre‑emptive strike aimed at degrading Iran’s missile and military infrastructure, marked one of the most significant blows to Tehran’s leadership in decades. Khamenei, 86, had led the Islamic Republic since 1989.

Strike on Tehran Leadership Compound

Iranian state media confirmed that Khamenei was killed in Saturday’s strikes, which heavily damaged his secure compound in Tehran. Satellite imagery showed the area reduced to rubble, and state television announced a 40‑day period of national mourning.

Reports from Iranian outlets also said Khamenei’s daughter, son‑in‑law and granddaughter were killed in the attack.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly acknowledged the death, with Trump declaring in a social media post that Khamenei “was unable to avoid our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems.”

Assault and Wider Conflict

The strikes, part of a broader campaign described as Operation Epic Fury by the Pentagon and Operation Lion’s Roar by Israel, also targeted senior Iranian military officials and strategic infrastructure. Multiple commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other top Iranian officials were reportedly killed in the assault.

The joint offensive triggered swift and intense retaliation by Iranian forces, which launched ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israeli territory and U.S. military bases across the Middle East. Explosions were reported in several Gulf states hosting U.S. troops, and Israel sounded air‑raid sirens as defensive systems engaged incoming threats.

Leadership Vacuum and Regional Impact

Khamenei’s death leaves a significant leadership vacuum in Iran. As supreme leader, he held ultimate authority over the military, judiciary and government, and his passing raises questions about Iran’s political future amid ongoing conflict.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the attack as a “great crime” and vowed retaliation, as state media described the military and political leadership as united in defiance.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts is expected to name a new supreme leader, but the process could unfold amid continued military escalation and internal strain.

Global Reaction and Ongoing Tensions

World leaders called for restraint as exchanges between Iran, Israel and the United States continued. The United Nations held emergency discussions on the crisis, and energy markets reacted to disruptions in the region.

As fighting persists and regional alliances reassess their positions, the confirmed death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a central figure in Middle Eastern geopolitics for nearly four decades, marks a historic and potentially destabilizing turning point.