On 28 February 2026, Ali Khamenei was assassinated during a wave of Israeli missile strikes in and around Tehran targeting senior Iranian officials. Iranian authorities confirmed his death on 1 March. The killing was part of a broader joint operation involving United States and Israel, with intelligence support reportedly provided by the Central Intelligence Agency to identify the locations of key leaders. Satellite imagery later indicated that Khamenei’s residence sustained extensive damage in the strike.
Initial Israeli reports claiming Khamenei had been killed were followed by public statements from then US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming his death. After Iranian state media verified the reports, the government declared 40 days of national mourning and announced seven days of public holidays. The Fars News Agency reported that several of Khamenei’s close family members, including his daughter and son-in-law, were also killed in the strikes.
Reactions within Iran were sharply divided. In some areas, civilians were seen celebrating in the streets, while elsewhere thousands gathered to mourn. Online, expressions of grief and anger spread rapidly, and protests and riots were reported in multiple countries. Separately, unnamed US officials disclosed that an earlier Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei during the 2025 Twelve-Day War had been vetoed by Trump.”
Background
Prior attempts
In 1981, then-presidential candidate Ali Khamenei survived a separate assassination attempt when a bomb hidden in a tape recorder exploded while he was speaking at the Abuzar Mosque in Tehran, seriously injuring his arm and vocal cords. The attack was later linked to the opposition militant group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (also known as the Mujahedin-e Khalq).
Preparations
According to reports by The Telegraph and The Washington Post, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held multiple phone conversations with then US President Donald Trump, urging Washington to launch an immediate strike against Iran. He reportedly warned that Iran would grow stronger and more dangerous if action was delayed. His brother, Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s defence minister, is said to have echoed these concerns during meetings with US officials, cautioning against the risks of inaction.
Following the Twelve-Day War in June 2025, Ali Khamenei reportedly became increasingly reclusive, rarely leaving his heavily fortified compound. The underground bunker beneath the site was said to be so deep that its elevator required more than five minutes to reach it, significantly limiting opportunities for an attack. In the months leading up to the strike, the Central Intelligence Agency had been monitoring Khamenei’s movements and routines and learned of a planned meeting involving senior Iranian officials, including Khamenei. The timing of the strikes was reportedly coordinated to coincide with this gathering. Israeli officials later stated that Khamenei had been seen above ground at his prominent official residence shortly before the assassination.
Airstrikes
The attack occurred at 08:10 IRST on 28 February 2026 and was described by officials as a ‘massive, highly audacious daytime strike’ aimed at senior leadership targets. The assault on Ali Khamenei’s compound was particularly notable for being carried out in daylight, with Israeli aircraft reportedly dropping around 30 bombs on the site. The operation targeted strategic facilities and high-ranking Iranian officials, with Khamenei’s compound among the locations most heavily hit in Tehran. Satellite imagery later indicated that the compound sustained severe structural damage. Simultaneous strikes at at least two additional sites in the city were conducted to ensure the operation’s success.
Initial reports
Conflicting reports
In the aftermath of the initial strikes, several media outlets—including Axios and Iran International—citing Israeli government sources, reported that Ali Khamenei had been killed. An unnamed Israeli official claimed that Khamenei’s body had been located after the attack and that photographic evidence was shown to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iranian officials initially rejected these reports. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Khamenei was ‘safe and sound,’ while Reuters reported that he had been moved to a secure location outside Tehran. Netanyahu later said there were ‘growing signs’ indicating Khamenei’s death, a claim echoed by then US President Donald Trump, who described the still-unconfirmed killing as ‘justice for the people of Iran.’
Following those statements, Iranian news agencies Tasnim News Agency and Mehr News Agency again asserted that Khamenei was alive, describing him as ‘steadfast and firm in commanding the field.
Confirmation
In the early hours of 1 March, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, along with state media outlets including Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, announced that Ali Khamenei had been killed, reversing earlier denials. The government declared 40 days of national mourning and announced a seven-day public holiday. The Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that several of Khamenei’s close family members—including his daughter, son-in-law, grandchild, and daughter-in-law—were also killed in the strikes on his compound.
Aftermath
As the Supreme Leader is appointed by the Assembly of Experts and the position of vice supreme leader was abolished in 1989, Ali Khamenei had no formally designated successor. During Khamenei’s funeral, officials announced that an interim Leadership Council would be formed, comprising Assembly of Experts member Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has pushed for the rapid appointment of a permanent leader.
Reactions
Domestic
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killing as a ‘great crime,’ warning that it would not go unanswered. Public reaction inside Iran to the death of Ali Khamenei was sharply divided. Following official confirmation, some civilians took to the streets in celebration. In the capital, celebratory chants were reported, while videos circulated online showing celebrations in cities including Isfahan, Karaj, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Sanandaj, Shiraz, and Izeh. In Dehloran, footage showed residents cheering as a statue of Khamenei was pulled down.
At the same time, supporters of Khamenei gathered to mourn. Near the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, videos showed mourners crying and collapsing in grief. In Tehran, images emerged of people holding portraits of Khamenei while mourning in Enqelab Square. Large crowds were also reported mourning in Yasuj and Isfahan, with similar scenes documented in Shiraz and Iran’s Lorestan province.
Internationally and among exiled opposition figures, reactions were starkly different. Maryam Rajavi, co-leader of the dissident group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, praised Khamenei’s death as the ‘end of religious tyranny’ and the collapse of the Velayat-e Faqih system. She called for a transitional government excluding both clerical rule and monarchy, while stressing opposition to foreign intervention.
Meanwhile, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi—the eldest son of the late shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi—declared what he called the ‘end of the Islamic Republic’ shortly after Khamenei’s death. He later clarified that the event alone did not mark the regime’s collapse and urged Iranians to mobilize for what he described as widespread and decisive street action.
International
International reactions to the killing of Ali Khamenei varied sharply, ranging from condemnation and condolences to open praise.
- Afghanistan: Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned the attack on Iran and offered condolences to the Iranian government and people over the killing of their supreme leader.
- Argentina: President Javier Milei praised the Israeli–US operation, describing Khamenei as one of the most violent figures in history. He accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism and referenced the 1994 AMIA bombing, vowing continued pursuit of those responsible.
- Australia: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Khamenei “will not be mourned,” blaming him for Iran’s missile programs, proxy warfare, and domestic repression.
- Austria: The Foreign Ministry called Khamenei’s death “an opening of a window for the people of Iran.” Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said Iranians had suffered too long under clerical rule and urged an end to regional violence.
- Armenia: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
- Azerbaijan: President Ilham Aliyev conveyed condolences without commenting on the circumstances of the killing.
- Bangladesh: The Foreign Ministry said it was saddened by the assassination, calling it a violation of international law and norms.
- China: Beijing strongly condemned the killing as a violation of Iranian sovereignty. Foreign Minister Wang Yi called it unacceptable in a discussion with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
- Chad: President Mahamat Déby offered condolences, saying he shared the pain of the Iranian nation.
- European Union: Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the moment historic, while Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it offered renewed hope for Iranians to shape their future.
- Finland: Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said the event could open long-awaited change, criticizing Iran’s regional actions and nuclear posture.
- Iraq: The government declared three days of mourning. Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr expressed sorrow, while Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged unity and restraint.
- Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly celebrated the assassination, calling it justice for decades of hostility. Defence Minister Israel Katz said the “axis of evil” had suffered a decisive blow.
- Malaysia: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned the killing but urged Iran to avoid further escalation.
- North Korea: Pyongyang denounced the attack as an illegal act of aggression by the US and Israel.
- Pakistan: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered condolences, referring to Khamenei’s death as martyrdom.
- Russia: President Vladimir Putin called the assassination a cynical murder and a violation of international law.
- Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he was saddened and pledged continued diplomatic efforts for regional stability.
- Ukraine: Ukraine’s official X account welcomed the news, stating that “nothing beats the death of a dictator.”
- United Kingdom: Defence Secretary John Healey said few would mourn Khamenei, while political reactions across the UK were divided.
- United States: President Donald Trump called Khamenei one of the most evil figures in history and vowed continued strikes on Iran. Reactions in Congress were mixed, with figures such as Senator John Fetterman responding positively, while Republicans including Representative Tom Emmer openly applauded the announcement.
Non-state actors
- Hamas: Hamas issued a statement mourning the death of Ali Khamenei, describing him as a key provider of political, diplomatic, and military support to the Palestinian cause and its resistance movements. The group said the United States and what it called Israel’s “occupation government” bore full responsibility for what it termed an act of aggression against Iran’s sovereignty and warned of serious regional repercussions. Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, hailed Khamenei as the principal backer of the so-called Resistance Axis and its fighters.
- Hezbollah: Secretary-General Naim Qassem pledged retaliation, stating that Hezbollah would “carry out its duty in confronting the aggression” and would not abandon what he described as the “field of honor and resistance.”
- Houthis: The Houthi political leadership conveyed its “sincere condolences and deepest sympathy” to the Iranian people following Khamenei’s death.
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad: PIJ condemned the killing as a war crime, describing it as a treacherous and deliberate attack.
Protests
The death of Ali Khamenei sparked protests in multiple countries. In Baghdad, demonstrators clashed with security forces near the Green Zone, with some attempting to storm the United States Embassy in Baghdad and block surrounding roads. Protesters were seen waving flags, chanting slogans, and mourning Khamenei.
In Karachi, riots erupted near the United States Consulate Karachi, where demonstrators burned and defaced the building’s windows and attempted to breach the compound. As unrest intensified, security forces opened fire, killing at least 22 protesters and injuring more than 120 others. Protesters also vandalized several properties, including a regional office linked to the United Nations in Skardu, in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan.
Analysts
Several media outlets offered sharply different assessments of the killing of Ali Khamenei. The Economist described the operation as an “enormous success” for the United States and Israel, noting that a comparable attempt to eliminate Saddam Hussein during the 2003 invasion of Iraq had taken nine months.
The New York Times argued that the assassination marked a decisive escalation, writing that Israel had “crossed a new Rubicon” by killing the leader of a sovereign state—something it had previously avoided early in the conflict, according to Israeli defence officials.
The Atlantic framed Khamenei’s death as the outcome of long-term internal decay rather than external force. Writing in the magazine, Graeme Wood argued that even the most sophisticated defences can fail when those entrusted to maintain them are compromised, portraying Khamenei as ultimately undone by betrayals rooted in his own system.
Meanwhile, Iran International depicted the assassination as the long-awaited end of a ruler many Iranians had hoped to see removed. The outlet framed his death as the close of an era marked by repression, ideological rigidity, and mass bloodshed, particularly the January 2026 crackdown. In this interpretation, the killing occurred amid deep internal crisis, with the state weakened by succession struggles, public anger, and the risk of collapse—making Khamenei’s death less a sudden geopolitical shock than the culmination of prolonged domestic illegitimacy
Polling
A recent Morning Consult survey of registered voters found that 41 % believe the strikes were necessary to stop Iran from posing a threat to the United States and its allies, while 42 % say the U.S. should have focused on diplomacy and negotiations instead.
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