Iranian Supreme Leader Assassinated in Airstrike

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was reportedly killed on Saturday during an Israeli airstrike on a compound in Tehran, part of a coordinated operation with the United States.

Updated at 5pm: US President Donald Trump has confirmed Khamenei’s death, calling him “one of the most evil people in history” on his social media platform.

Trump expressed that this act of retaliation serves not just the Iranian people but all who have suffered due to Khamenei and his regime. He noted that Khamenei couldn’t evade US intelligence and tracking systems, emphasizing the close cooperation between the US and Israel, which left no room for escape for him or the other officials targeted alongside him.

Furthermore, Trump urged the Iranian populace to rise and reclaim their country while advising police and military personnel to surrender for immunity from prosecution. He mentioned, “Now they get immunity, then they only get death!” He expressed hope that the Revolutionary Guards and police would join forces with Iranian patriots to restore the nation, while confirming continued bombings throughout the week for peace in the region.

The original story continues as follows…

Khamenei, aged 86, had been in control of Iran since 1989 after serving as president starting in 1981. Sources within Israeli leadership reported his death, with a senior official stating that his body was found amid the rubble of the airstrike.

As Iran’s longest-serving leader since Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was ousted in 1979, Khamenei’s tenure has been significant. Evidence of his death was presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also hinted in a televised address that Khamenei was likely deceased.

Netanyahu called upon Iranians to liberate themselves from dictatorship, coinciding with a substantial joint assault by the US and Israel aimed at numerous senior Iranian officials.