In a significant escalation, airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel on Saturday morning resulted in the deaths of several family members of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, including his daughters and grandchildren.
The attack, referred to as “Operation Epic Fury,” also claimed the lives of Khamenei’s daughter-in-law and son-in-law, according to reports from Iranian state media.
Interestingly, there are claims from Iranian outlets suggesting that Khamenei himself was killed during the strikes, as he was supposedly “among the people” at the time.
While there’s no definitive confirmation of his location during the assault, reports indicate his body was later found in the debris, and a senior Israeli official mentioned that a photo was shown to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
President Trump reacted to the news early Saturday, asserting that Khamenei’s death symbolizes “justice.”
He described Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in history” and emphasized that this event serves justice not only for Iranians but for countless others affected by Khamenei’s actions.
A few hours post-strike, Iranian state media announced Khamenei’s death, portraying him as a “martyr.” They reported that he died in his Tehran home when the airstrikes commenced, supported by satellite images showing significant devastation in the area.
“The supreme leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution has been martyred,” Tasnim News declared, announcing his death to the Iranian populace.
Israeli officials stated that the initial assaults resulted in the elimination of over 40 prominent Iranian security and regime figures, while the first strike on Khamenei’s stronghold reportedly killed up to 10 senior leaders.
This cleric had headed the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 1989.
