Khamenei dead UPDATES: State media confirms Iranian leader has been killed

Iran’s state broadcaster has confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the early hours Sunday local time, hours after US and Israel said he had been killed in airstrikes earlier on Saturday.

In the wake of the confirmation, Iranian cabinet has announced a seven day-long of public holiday and 40 days of national mourning.

Iran’s exiled prince Reza Pahlavi welcomed the news of Khamenei’s killing, saying the moment could mark a turning point in the people of Iran’s long struggle against the Islamic Republic.

Writing in an op-ed for The Washington Post, Pahlavi thanked Trump for supporting the people of his home nation, and said the final outcome will depend on Iranians themselves.

“Even with US and Israeli assistance, the final victory will be forged by the Iranian people,” he wrote, arguing that a democratic Iran could transform the Middle East.

Iran’s supreme leader has been killed in US and Israeli strikes, Iranian state media has said.

US President Donald Trump announced Khamenei’s killing on Saturday, as did senior Israeli officials. Tehran has resisted confirming his death until now resisted.

Also dead is his daughter, son-in-law and grandchild, according to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps affiliaed media channel Fars News.

READ MORE: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei confirmed dead

State media affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Fars News, has confirmed that the daughter, son-in-law and grandchild of Iran’s supposedly slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei have been killed.

US President Donald Trump announced Khamenei’s killing on Saturday, but Iran is yet to confirm the death of its Supreme Leader.

Trump called his ‘death’ an act of justice for Iranians, Americans and others around the world who were killed or maimed by him and his allies.

“This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

READ MORE: Iran confirms Khamenei family deaths

Iran’s state media says Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild have been killed in airstrikes launches by the US and Israel, as per Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps affiliated Fars News.

There is still no official confirmation from Iran on the fate of Khamenei himself, however US President Donald Trump and a senior Israeli official have both claimed Iran’s Supreme Leader has also been killed.

One person has died following an “incident” at Zayed International in Abu Dhabi.

“Abu Dhabi Airports has confirmed that an incident took place at Zayed International Airport and resulted in one fatality involving an Asian national and seven injuries,” it said.

“The public is urged to avoid circulating rumours and to rely only on official sources. Updates will be provided.”

Israel’s military has announced this evening to have completed another wave of strikes in Iran.

The operation targeted Tehran’s ballistic missile array and aerial defence systems in western and central areas of the country, it says.

Another major hotel in Dubai has been reportedly hit, the Burj Al Arab.

Unconfirmed reports circulating online seemingly show the iconic landmark being hit.

Neither the strike nor the nature of the incident have yet been confirmed by authorities

The United Arab Emirates’s defence ministry says its forces have faced almost 350 Iranian drones and ballistic missiles.

It said 132 of 137 ballistic missiles launched by Iran towards the country have been destroyed, with five falling into the sea.

Of the 209 drones detected, 195 were intercepted.

It said the reamining 24 “fell within the country’s territories and waters, causing some collateral damage”.

The UAE defence minstry added: “As a result of the effective interception of the missiles and drones, some debris fell in scattered areas of the country, leading to minor material damage to a number of civilian properties.”

Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, has warned Israel and America will “regret their actions.”

He said on X: “The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to the hellish international oppressors.”

Four people have been injured after an “incident” at Dubai International Airport.

Footage emerged on social media appearing to showing people injured and others rushing to safety at the major airport amid reports of an attack.

The Dubai Media Office said: “Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained.

“Emergency response teams were immediately deployed and are managing the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities.

“Four staff sustained injuries and received prompt medical attention. Due to contingency plans already in place, most of the terminals were previously cleared of passengers. Further updates will be provided as they become available.”

More on this story here.

Iran’s exiled crown prince has welcomed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Reza Pahlavi said on social media: “Ali Khamenei, the bloodthirsty Zahhak [an evil king in Iranian mythology] of our time, the killer of tens of thousands of Iran’s bravest sons and daughters, has been erased from the pages of history.

“With his death, the Islamic Republic has effectively come to an end and will soon be consigned to the dustbin of history.”

More videos have emerged of Iranians celebrating the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Here’s a look at the Iranians who Israel has claimed to have killed in airstrikes:

Ali Shamkhani, a top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who survived an Israeli attack targeting him during the June war

Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, Commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard

Salah Asadi, the chief of intelligence in Iran’s military emergency headquarters

Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iranian Defense Minister

Mohammad Shirazi, Head of Military Bureau of Khamenei

As reported earlier, Donald Trump has announced Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was also killed during the major attack launched by Israel and the US on Saturday morning.

Some Iranians have taken to the streets to celebrate following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A video shows crowds of Iranians gathered on the streets of Karaj, a city in northern Iran.

Some can be seen dancing in the video which has been verified.

Others can be heard cheering and whistling.

The video was shared on X, alongside the caption: “Huge celebrations in the streets of Iran over Khamenei’s death, despite fighter jets maneuvering in the skies above.”

One detail which may have been missed in Donald Trump’s statement announcing the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was his comment that military action is set to continue for the coming days.

He said “heavy and pinpoint bombing” will carry onn “uniterrupted throughout the week”.

He wrote on Truth Social: “Or as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”

Donald Trump says Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, has been killed.The 86-year-old was the most powerful man in Iran as head of state and commander-in-chief of its military.He was also in charge of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) paramilitary.

As we’ve just reported, Donald Trump has declared that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed.

He made the announcement on his Truth Social platform and calimed Iran had been “obliterated” by American and Israeli airstrikes.

Below is the full statement from the US President.

Donald Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is dead.

In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.”

Following reports about the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, some residents in Tehran were rejoicing, blowing whistles and letting out ululations, witnesses told the Associated Press.

An emergency UN Security Council on Iran is underway, with Secretary General António Guterres saying he is “not in a position to confirm” reports that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed.

He said there are “many unconfirmed reports” and that the situation, which he described as a “grave threat to international peace and security”, was “very fluid”.

He warned: “Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world.”

The UN chief also voiced concerns over reports that there have been “significant casualties”.

The US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran this morning, followed by retiliation strikes by Tehran on targets across the region.

The White House has released images online of Donald Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, chief of staff Susie Wiles and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as they watched the Israel-US strikes on Iran unfold.

The group, which was at Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, appeared to be in a makeshift secure room separated by dark blue curtains.

There were large monitors in the room, which Gen Caine was pointing at in one image, and a map in the background that had the words “Operation Epic Fury”.

Mr Trump was wearing a white baseball cap that read “USA”.

The images appeared to have at least part been partly blurred, particularly the screens on telephones.

The administration also released an image of US Vice President JD Vance monitoring the operation from the Situation Room at the White House.

Donald Trump has spoken to Sir Keir Starmer, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“President Trump just spoke with the leaders of the UK, Kuwait, and Turkey,” she wrote on X, without clarifying whether it was individually or as a group.

In a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, the Prime Minister earlier condemned Iran’s retaliation following the US-Israeli strikes and urged Tehran to “refrain from indiscriminate military strikes” and “seek a negotiated solution”.

Sir Keir said the UK had not been involved in the strikes, but had subsequently deployed aircraft “as part of co-ordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies”.

An Israeli military spokesperson says several senior Iranian officials were killed in strikes.

This included the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s defence minister, the head of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s military bureau and the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Brigadier General Effie Defrin said.

The spokesperson said Israel had struck targets where senior officials were believed to be gathered and would continue strikes in cooperation with the United States.

On social media, the IDF said they had been had been “elimated” during the “opening salvo” of attacks.

There was no mention of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei despite several reports suggesting he has been killed.

Donald Trump has suggested the US believes Ayotallah Ali Khamenei has been killed in strikes against Iran.

He said his adminstation believes reports claming the Iranian leader has died in the military action “is a correct story”.

Speaking to NBC News, the American President said: “I’ve spoken to a lot of people beyond and we feel certain, we feel, we feel that that is a correct story.”

Read more on his comments here.

Two Iranian news agencies have claimed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was “steadfast and firm in commanding the field” amid reports he has been killed.

A Fox News reporter, citing a US official, claims the US believes Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and up to 10 senior Iranian officials were killed in an initial Israeli strike.

His death has still not been confirmed, however an Israeli official, speaking to Reuters, claimed the body of Iran’s Supreme Leader has been founded.

Other reports also suggest he has died.

Iran was rebuilding infrastructure for its nuclear programme that was destroyed in last year’s strikes, according to a senior US, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said that intelligence also showed that Iran had developed the capability to produce its own high-quality centrifuges, an important step in developing the highly enriched uranium needed for weapons.

Seperately, Reuters reports a senior US official suggested there was signs Iran planned to strike preemptively.

They said Donald Trump was not going to “sit back and allow American forces in the region to absorb attacks”.

Israeli officials have said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead,the Associated Press news agency reports.

Neither Iran nor the US have confirmed.

Donald Trump has said the US has a number of “off ramps” as he claimed he could end the conflict with Iran in a matter of days.

In a five-munite call with Axios from Mar-a-Lago, he said: “I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians: ‘See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear and missile programmes]. In any case, it will take them several years to recover from this attack.”

He said the Iranians “got close and then pulled back” during talks that were held in Geneva last week, adding: “I understood from that that they don’t really want a deal.”

Aerial footage posted to social media by US Central Command showed American munitions striking what appeared to be a variety of targets from drones to buildings in Iran.

The video montage show black-and-white footage of what appears to be a drone on a runway, a radar tower, a missile battery and a compound of buildings all being struck by what seemed to be bombs or missiles and followed by large explosions.

The footage features the words “unclassified” at the top of the screen and a targeting reticle in the middle.

CENTCOM didn’t provide more details about the video, but said that it was “delivering an overwhelming and unrelenting blow” in a caption that accompanied the post.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989.

The 86-year-old is the most powerful man in Iran as head of state and commander-in-chief of its military.

He is also in charge of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) paramilitary.

Reports of his death remain unconfirmed at this stage.

People are cheering and celebrating in different areas of the Iranian capital Tehran amid reports Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, it has been claimed.

Sources, speaking to BBC Persian, say people are honking horns and screaming in celebration, the BBC reports.

According to Iranian state media, the head of public relations at the Supreme Leader’s office has said: “The enemy is resorting to mental warfare, all should be aware.”

Amid growing reports Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, let’s remind ourselves of what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

He earlier said there were “growing signs” the Supreme Leader is “no longer alive”.

These latest reports are uncofirmed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously told NBC News that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were alive “as far as I know”.

N12 News in Israel is now also reporting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed.

“Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei – has been eliminated,” a senior Israeli official reportedly said.

Documentation of the Supreme Leader’s body has been presented to Benjamin Netanyahu and senior security officials, it reports.

London-based Iran International reports Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed in the airstrikes.

This has not been confirmed but comes after Channel 12 in Israel, citing a source said he is “almost certainly dead”.

Khamenei’s residence in Tehran was destroyed in a strike earlier today.

The property was reportedly targeted with 30 bunker buster bombs

Iran has responded to the claims, but has not denied Khamenei is dead.

Tehran said the enemy is resorting to “mental warfare.”

An Israeli source told Reuters that Khamenei is “dead” and his body has been “found.”