Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed in US-Israeli strikes, Israeli officials say

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in Israeli-US attacks launched early Saturday, according to Israeli media reports and senior Israeli officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated there were "growing signs" that Khamenei was killed in the joint strikes. An unnamed senior Israeli official told Reuters that Khamenei's body had been located. According to Spanish media reporting on Israeli sources, his body was found in a bunker at his residence in Tehran, and Israeli intelligence services reviewed photographic documentation of the location.

Netanyahu was shown an image of the deceased 86-year-old leader's body after Iranian authorities recovered it from his compound, which was struck by seven American missiles early Saturday morning, according to Italian media accounts of Israeli claims.

President Donald Trump, after being informed by Israel of Khamenei's death, told NBC News: "It appears the report of Khamenei's death is correct." Trump added that "the majority" of Iran's top leadership had been killed in the strikes. "The people who make all the decisions, most of them, are gone," he said.

Iran International, a news outlet associated with the Iranian opposition, reported confirmation of the death. However, Iran's state-affiliated Tasnim and Mehr news agencies reported that Khamenei remained "steadfast and firm in commanding the field." The head of public relations at Khamenei's office accused the country's enemies of conducting "mental warfare" in response to the claims.

No official statement from Iran's government has confirmed Khamenei's death. Khamenei, 86, has been Iran's Supreme Leader since 1989, following the death of Islamic Republic founder Ruhollah Khomeini. If confirmed, this would mark the first time Israel has killed a sitting head of state, according to Spanish media reporting.