U.S. AND ISRAEL SAY IRAN SUPREME LEADER KHAMENEI IS DEAD
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei greets the crowd as he attends a program held in the capital Tehran, Iran on Jan. 17. Photo: Iranian Leader Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike Saturday as part of a massive joint military operation between the U.S. and Israel, Israel's ambassador to Washington told U.S. officials.
The latest: President Trump told NBC News that "we feel certain" Khamenei is dead, along with "most" of Iran's senior leadership. "The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone," he said.
- An Israeli official confirmed to Axios that Khamenei is dead and his body was recovered from his destroyed compound, according to Israeli intelligence.
Why it matters: The 86-year-old Khamenei led Iran for 35 years, making him one of the world's longest-serving authoritarian rulers. His death is a massive blow to the regime and could accelerate its collapse, which U.S. and Israeli officials have stated as a goal of their operation.
The big picture: Khamenei's killing sets off an immediate succession crisis with no clear answer.
- Under Iran's constitution, a council of clerics is meant to select a new supreme leader — but Israel's strikes also targeted senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and political leaders, leaving the regime's chain of command in disarray.
- Israeli officials say they assess the Iranian minister of defense and the commander of the IRGC were also among those killed in targeted strikes on Saturday.
Between the lines: Whether the IRGC moves to seize control — or whether the strikes create the popular opening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump have both called for — remains unclear.
- Israeli officials said Israel targeted Khamenei's sons, but intelligence assessments suggest they survived the strikes.
- Mojtaba Khamenei, one of the supreme leader's sons, had been widely discussed as a possible successor to his father.
Context: Khamenei took power in 1989 following the death of revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and spent 35 years consolidating near-total control over the Iranian state.
- As supreme leader, he held authority over the judiciary, state media and all security forces — including the IRGC.
- He wielded that power ruthlessly against dissent. Thousands of protesters were killed under his watch during the most recent nationwide uprising, and his forces have repeatedly crushed reform movements over the decades.
What to watch: In an overnight video address, Trump called for the Iranian people to remain in their homes during the bombing campaign — but rise up and "take over your government" when it concludes.
- Iran's exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi, a leading opposition leader who has organized mass protests against the regime, also called for the Iranian people to take to the streets.
- Pahlavi urged Iranian security forces: "Join the nation and help ensure a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will sink with Khamenei's ship and his crumbling regime."
Editor's note: This story is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
