Iran Supreme Leader Targeted, Believed Killed, in Sweeping US-Israeli Strikes

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was likely killed Saturday as war roared across the Middle East after a major military operation against Iran was begun by the United States and Israel.

Khamenei was killed in the attack, Axios reported.

The site said Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. told American officials that Khamenei was dead.  Axios also said an Israeli official said Khamenei was killed.

A report from Reuters, citing an Israeli official, said Khamenei’s body had been found.

A report in the Times of Israel, citing a video from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Khamenei “is no more.”

UPDATE: We’ve georeferenced the first publicly released satellite image of the compound associated with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Direct Map Link: https://t.co/Kf06Fsaq9w pic.twitter.com/ZA4az9RwG8

— Soar (@SoarAtlas) February 28, 2026

In the days to come, he said, “We will hit thousands of targets of the terror regime.”

The war “will continue as long as is necessary,” he said.

A Times of Israel report said that Israel dropped 30 bombs on the compound where Khamenei was living and that, although he was underground, he was not so far underground that Israeli munitions could not reach him.

Israeli media reported that Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei, the heir apparent to his father, may also have been killed. The report said that all told, about 30 or Iran’s top military, intelligence, and political leaders were targeted.

A report in the Times of Israel said Iran fired back with an attack on U.S. Navy headquarters in Bahrain. Air defenses in  Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait were activated to repel Iranian missiles.

Us and Israel airforce attacking #Tehran the capital of #Iran 😰😱

Operation EPIC FURY – delclared by the US department of war 🇺🇸#IranRevolution2026 🇮🇱🇮🇷pic.twitter.com/9BlK8GI6WO

— Kanhaiya Lal Saran (@SaranKL_) February 28, 2026

Multiple locations in Israel were targeted by Iran.

According to the Associated Press, Iran’s retaliation included attacks on Saudi Arabia. The Saudis said the “blatant and cowardly” attack was repelled.

According to the military, hundreds of Iranian military targets were struck in western Iran, including missile launchers. https://t.co/GAWJSLcQkY

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) February 28, 2026

The eight members of House and Senate leadership known as the “Gang of Eight” were briefed on the military’s plans earlier this week, according to NBC News.

Iran said it will hit American bases but not “Americans in their land,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, according to NBC News.

He said Iran was ready to negotiate.

Iran hits Bahrain’s capital

Striking visuals pic.twitter.com/gDcedzvCZx

— abul ma’ali (@abulmaali_) February 28, 2026

President Donald Trump’s message to the American people, delivered at 2:30 a.m. ET Saturday, said the bombing taking place was the start of “major combat operations in Iran.”

“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime — a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world,” Trump said.

“For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted ‘Death to America’ and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries,” Trump said.

“It’s been mass terror, and we’re not going to put up with it any longer,” he said.

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