Iran confirms that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is killed in airstrikes as four family members, including his grandchild, are also slaughtered
Iran confirms Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in joint US-Israel strikes
Iran officially declared the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a result of coordinated US and Israeli air attacks. The attack on his Tehran residence occurred during the early hours of Saturday, leaving the regime in shock. State-run media disclosed the family’s fatalities on Sunday, shortly before Iran’s military pledged its most aggressive counteroffensive against the US and Israel.
Among those killed were Khamenei’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law. The tragedy also claimed the lives of two senior military figures: Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani and Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Black smoke was observed at sunrise near Erbil International Airport in northern Iraq, following the IRGC’s announcement of their most intense retaliation campaign.
Global response and regime impact
Trump, who had earlier confirmed Khamenei’s death on Truth Social, vowed in a Sunday midnight post to unleash an unprecedented strike on Iran. ‘Iran just stated they will hit very hard today, harder than ever before. If they do, we will respond with a force unseen in history,’ he warned. Khamenei’s demise marks the end of his nearly 37-year tenure as Iran’s Islamic Republic leader, a period that had destabilized the Gulf region and intensified tensions within the regime.
“This is not only justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans and those from many countries who have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” Trump wrote in a statement.
On Sunday, Iran launched its retaliation by targeting 27 US airbases across the Middle East. The operation was framed as a ‘most intense offensive’ by the IRGC, aimed at avenge Khamenei’s killing. An Iranian TV anchor broke down in tears while delivering the news, declaring, ‘God is great. With deep sorrow, it is announced to the nation of Iran that Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was martyred today in a joint criminal attack by the United States and the Zionist regime.’
Khamenei’s body was discovered beneath the rubble of his compound, where he was believed to have lived with his wife, children, and several grandchildren. The news agency noted that his death took place during the holy month of Ramadan, elevating his status as a revered religious figure. ‘His long dream of martyrdom became true,’ the Council stated, emphasizing the symbolic weight of the event.
Iran announced a 40-day mourning period and a seven-day national holiday to honor Khamenei’s passing. The family’s loss, including his grandchild, was reported just hours before the regime’s vow to escalate its conflict with the US and Israel. A satellite image captured smoke rising from Khamenei’s compound in Tehran, confirming the scale of the destruction caused by the strikes.
