Supreme leader dead

TEHRAN – Iran has confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in joint US and Israeli strikes.

The Supreme Leader’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also killed in the bombardment on his home in Tehran in the early hours of Saturday. 

The family deaths were reported by State media yesterday, just hours before Iran’s military made a promise to lead its most ferocious counterattacks on the US and Israel in history.

Khamenei, 86, was killed in the airstrike after nearly 37 years as the Islamic Republic’s leader – wreaking havoc for the regime, and destabilising the Gulf in the aftermath.

As well as Khamenei’s four family members, two high-level military leaders – Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, and commander of the IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour – were also obliterated in the strikes on Saturday morning. 

Yesterday, Iran started its retaliation by attacking 27 US airbases in the Middle East. 

In 1964, Khamenei married Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the New York Times reported.

The couple had six children: Four sons, Massoud, Mojtaba, Mostafa and Meysam, and two daughters, Bushra and Hoda, according to the outlet. 

Khamenei’s body was found under the rubble of his compound following the attacks.

He was believed to have lived there with his wife, children and many grandchildren, the BBC reported. 

Iranian State media officially announced the leader’s death early yesterday. “To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return,” the news agency said. 

An official 40-day-mourning period was announced, as well as a seven-day national holiday in the wake of Khamenei’s death. 

During the official announcement on an Iranian State news broadcast, the anchor wore black and stifled tears during the reading of a statement from the National Supreme Council.

“God is great. God is great. With deep sorrow, it is announced to the nation of Iran that Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was martyred today in a joint criminal attack by the United States and the Zionist regime,” the anchor said in a clip posted on X.