According to reports circulating across several international media outlets, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is alleged to have been killed during coordinated U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on his compound in Tehran on February 28, 2026.
Senior Israeli officials have reportedly claimed that Khamenei’s body was recovered from the site, signaling confirmation of his death. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “many signs” that the Iranian leader was no longer alive, though he stopped short of making a definitive statement at the time.
The strikes, said to be part of an operation dubbed Operation Epic Fury, reportedly involved extensive bombardment of key Iranian leadership locations, including Khamenei’s heavily fortified residence, which sources say was destroyed. The attacks followed a sharp escalation in hostilities, including Iranian missile strikes on Israel and U.S. military installations in the region.
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Iran has yet to issue an official confirmation. In the immediate aftermath, some Iranian officials claimed senior leaders were “safe and sound,” while others suggested Khamenei remained alive. State-affiliated media later described him as “steadfast,” without directly addressing the reports of his death.
Khamenei, who was 86, had served as Iran’s supreme authority since 1989. If confirmed, his death would mark a profound turning point for the Islamic Republic, with no clear successor publicly identified.
Unconfirmed reports also suggest that several senior Iranian officials and military commanders may have been killed in the same operation.