Supreme Leader Killed: Ali Khamenei Dies in US-Israel Strike, Shaking Iran

Feb 28, 2026 | ~08:10 IRST — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed during a coordinated joint air and missile campaign by the United States and Israel targeting key leadership sites in Tehran. The attack, part of the broader conflict between Iran and US-Israeli forces, also killed dozens of senior officials and close family members, including Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren as confirmed by Iranian state media.

Iran immediately launched retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, targeting US military bases and allied states. A 40-day mourning period was declared domestically as the nation and international community grapple with the implications of the death of a leader who had ruled since 1989. An interim leadership council was formed to oversee the state while Iran’s constitutional process for appointing a new Supreme Leader begins.