Iran’s Supreme Leader Reported Dead Following Trump-Directed Strikes, Middle East Braces for Shockwaves

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported killed on Saturday after a massive round of strikes that the United States and Israel carried out across the country. Israeli officials told international news outlets they believed the strike hit his compound and that the leader was no longer alive.

The attack came as part of a broad campaign the allies said aimed at Iran’s military and command centers. Iran answered with missile and drone launches against targets across the region, in what officials described as swift and severe retaliation.

The U.S. president, Donald Trump, used a public message to press the point that the strikes were meant to weaken Iran’s hold on power. He told the Iranian people, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”

President Trump’s words were blunt. He urged members of Iran’s security forces to lay down their arms and offered immunity to those who complied. The message made clear that the aim goes beyond military damage and into political change, whether Tehran likes it or not.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, also spoke to the nation. “This morning we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei,” he said, and added, “There are many signs that this tyrant is no longer.” Netanyahu said the operation had removed senior commanders and that more strikes were coming.

One Israeli source told reporters a photo of the leader’s body had been seen by Israeli officials. That claim has not been independently confirmed and Iranian authorities have pushed back hard against reports of a death. In short, the picture and the proof are being argued over in public and in secret.

Iranian state outlets and officials said their top leaders were safe. State news carried the line, “President Masoud Pezeshkian is safe and sound and has no problems.” The foreign ministry spokesman echoed that senior figures were not harmed, even as other reports described civilian deaths and widespread damage.

The strikes and the replies closed airspace in parts of the region, ripped through oil shipping plans, and forced airlines to divert flights. Global markets reacted with worry. Governments from around the world scrambled to respond, and the United Nations called for an emergency meeting.

At home, U.S. authorities moved quickly to shore up security. The FBI put counterterrorism teams on heightened alert, and the State Department warned Americans abroad to exercise increased caution. Officials said there were no confirmed U.S. combat deaths so far.

Regional voices weighed in. The United Arab Emirates called the events a historic moment for the region and said the conflict exposed a failure of world leaders to keep the Gulf stable. Ordinary people in the area faced blackouts, shelter orders, and the old simple worry of whether a siren means stay or run.

Who is in charge if the supreme leader is gone is not clear. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard could try to fill the gap. Civil unrest could follow. Or an organized succession could hand power to another cleric. For now the world is watching, the leaders are talking, and the people closest to the blast zones are living the news in real time.

Featured image via YouTube screengrab