Khamenei Assassinated in US-Israeli Attack, Iran Declares Mourning

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been killed in an attack attributed to the United States and Israel, according to Iranian media outlets Tasnim and Fars. The assault also claimed the lives of Khamenei's daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, and daughter-in-law. In response, Iran has declared 40 days of national mourning and seven days of public holidays. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement expressing their condolences, stating, "We have lost a great leader. The entire nation is mourning him."

The Iranian military has announced the imminent launch of a significant operation targeting US-occupied territories and terrorist bases across the region. Earlier, US President Donald Trump claimed responsibility for Khamenei's death, posting on Truth Social, "Khamenei, one of the most brutal men in history, has been killed. This is justice for the Iranian people, as well as for America and the world."

Born on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, Khamenei was raised in a family of clerics. He opposed the Shah’s regime and championed Islamic governance, becoming a prominent anti-Shah figure and a trusted aide to Ayatollah Khomeini. He played a key role in Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the Shah. Khamenei served on the Revolutionary Council and later as deputy defence minister. In 1981, he survived a bombing while delivering a speech in Tehran, the same year Iran’s president was killed in another attack. Following the death of Khomeini in 1989, Khamenei was appointed Supreme Leader, a position he has held since, shaping Iran’s political landscape. Supporters view him as a steadfast defender of the Islamic system, while critics accuse him of maintaining a repressive regime.