Ayatollah Khamenei is reported to be dead in Tehran after joint US–Israeli missile strikes that began on Saturday, according to Iranian state media and Western officials, with Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu both claiming the Iranian supreme leader was killed in an operation aimed at regime change.
Rumours surrounding Ayatollah Khamenei had already been circulating in Western and Israeli media, including unverified reports that a photograph of his body had been shown to Trump and Netanyahu. Those claims were initially met with silence from Tehran, but state outlets later confirmed that Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989, died after his secure compound was heavily damaged in the opening wave of strikes.
