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On Saturday, the US and Israel confirmed a joint military action in Iran, to take down Tehran’s leadership. At a press conference, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said: “There are many signs that Khamenei is no longer alive.”
“This morning we eliminated senior figures in the ayatollahs’ regime — commanders in the Revolutionary Guards and senior officials in the nuclear programme –, and we will continue,” Netanyahu added.
What Ali Khamenei’s death means for Israel and US
Khamenei has been Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989. The 86-year-old assumed supreme authority following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. Under his leadership, Iran became a powerful regional anti-US force, extending influence through support for militant allies such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Khamenei backed the 2015 nuclear deal under pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani, temporarily easing isolation, but tensions escalated after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord in 2018 and reimposed sanctions.
He consistently upheld Khomeini’s conservative vision, suppressing the ambitions of reformist presidents who sought more open policies. Authorities under Khamenei crushed repeated protests and sidelined those pushing for reduced confrontation with the West.
Since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Iran’s regional allies have faced severe setbacks. Hamas and Hezbollah suffered heavy losses from Israeli operations, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, long supported by Tehran, was toppled in December 2024.
The Supreme Leader position, established after the 1979 revolution and enshrined in Iran’s constitution, grants a top cleric ultimate authority over the president and parliament. The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body vetted by a hardline watchdog aligned with Khamenei, formally selects the leader.
Israel long viewed Khamenei as a destabilizing force in the Middle East. During the 12-day air war between Israel and Iran in June 2025, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to assassinate him, stating the supreme leader “cannot continue to exist.”
That conflict saw Israel launch a surprise strike on Iran’s underground nuclear site, killing senior commanders and nuclear scientists and decimating much of the military leadership. Khamenei’s death delivers another severe blow to a nation already strained by war and economic hardship.
President Donald Trump described the strikes as necessary to end a security threat to the U.S. and provide the Iranians an opportunity to topple their rulers.
( Reuters )
