Image: from FearBuck X @FearedBuck
TEHRAN / JERUSALEM — The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East was fundamentally reshaped on Saturday as reports emerged that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during a massive joint military operation by the United States and Israel. The 86-year-old cleric, who has ruled the Islamic Republic since 1989, was reportedly targeted in a precision strike on his highly fortified compound in central Tehran.
The operation, codenamed “Operation Roaring Lion” by Israel and “Operation Epic Fury” by the United States, began in the early daylight hours of Saturday—a standard work day in Iran. The strikes utilized a combination of Israeli fighter jets and U.S. Tomahawk missiles to dismantle Iran’s command-and-control centers, nuclear research facilities, and ballistic missile infrastructure.
BREAKING: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is presumed dead after a massive U.S. and Israeli military operation based on the bomb damage assessment, multiple Israeli official sources confirmed to CBS News. There has been no comment so far from Iran. CBS News'… pic.twitter.com/ON1NFionlD
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 28, 2026
Confirmation and Claims
In a televised address from Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated there were “growing signs” that the “tyrant of Tehran” is no longer alive. “This morning, the compound of Ali Khamenei was destroyed. For decades, he spread terror across the world while oppressing his own people. That plan is no more,” Netanyahu declared.
Shortly after, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to confirm the reports via social media, describing the operation as a “major success” and stating that “most” of Iran’s senior leadership had been eliminated. “The hour of freedom for the Iranian people is at hand,” Trump added.
While some Iranian state media outlets initially dismissed the reports as “psychological warfare,” the lack of a proof-of-life broadcast—previously promised by Tehran officials—has fueled speculation that the regime is in a state of total collapse.
A Nation in Chaos
The strikes triggered immediate and violent repercussions across the region:
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Civilian Toll: The Iranian Red Crescent reported over 200 deaths across the country, including a tragic incident where at least 85 children were killed when a strike reportedly hit a girls’ school in southern Iran.
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Regional Retaliation: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a “first wave” of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel and U.S. bases in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. One civilian was reported killed by falling debris in Abu Dhabi.
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Domestic Unrest: Following the strikes, President Trump urged the Iranian public to “take over your government,” potentially reigniting the massive anti-government protests that have simmered in Iran since late 2025.
Power Vacuum
The death of Khamenei, if fully confirmed by the Iranian government, leaves a dangerous power vacuum. With no designated successor and much of the upper echelon of the IRGC reportedly “gone,” the Islamic Republic faces its greatest existential crisis since the 1979 Revolution.
International markets reacted with shock as oil prices surged and several Middle Eastern nations, including Jordan and Iraq, completely closed their airspace. The United Nations has called for an emergency session to address the escalating conflict, which critics warn could spiral into a full-scale global catastrophe.