Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Killed in U.S. and Israel Strikes, Trump Says

The president said the military campaign in Iran would continue “as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”

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Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leaves after casting his vote during the presidential election in Tehran, June 28, 2024. Vahid Salemi/AP

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989, was killed in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on his country, President Donald Trump said Saturday.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Khamenei’s apparent killing marks a dramatic geopolitical moment with few clear outcomes. Trump, in launching the strikes on Iran, called for regime change in the country, and the military attack appears to have targeted leaders across Iran’s government. But it’s far from certain that Khamenei’s reported death will lead to the kind of change the U.S. or Israel is looking for.