Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Killed in US–Israel Strike, Iran Announces 40 Days of Mourning

In a major development amid escalating tensions between United States, Israel and Iran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has reportedly been killed in a joint missile strike, according to claims made by US and Israeli authorities.

International news agency Reuters reported that Khamenei was killed in a missile attack carried out by Israel, a claim also published by ANI. The strike allegedly targeted areas near his office and residential complex, with bunker-buster missiles said to have been used in the operation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that Israel had “eliminated Iran’s Supreme Leader.” The announcement was later echoed by US President Donald Trump, who confirmed Khamenei’s death in a social media post, describing him as “one of the most brutal figures in modern history.”

Meanwhile, Iranian state-run agencies IRNA and Press TV have also reportedly carried the news of Khamenei’s death. However, independent confirmation of these claims remains unclear at this stage. Iran has announced a 40-day national mourning period following the reported incident.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini. For over three decades, he was considered the most powerful authority in Iran, exercising significant control over the country’s political, military and religious institutions, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The reported killing marks a potentially transformative moment in Middle Eastern geopolitics, with fears of a wider regional conflict intensifying as global leaders closely monitor developments.