Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years, killed in US-Israeli airstrikes

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led Iran for over three decades and shaped its confrontation with the United States and Israel, was killed on Saturday in US-Israeli airstrikes, Iranian media confirmed early Sunday. He was 86. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Khamenei had died during strikes targeting Iran’s leadership. A senior Israeli official also told Reuters that his body was found following the attacks. Satellite images showed heavy damage to his compound in Tehran, which was among the first sites hit. Intelligence and tracking systems monitored Khamenei’s whereabouts, Trump earlier wrote in a Truth Social post, saying that “there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.” He also called on Iranians to topple the government, warning that the bombing would continue throughout the week, or “as long as necessary.” His post read: “The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to ⁠achieve our objective ​of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!” ## Who was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Khamenei rose to prominence during the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Shah. After the death of Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, he was appointed the supreme leader, despite not holding the highest clerical rank at the time. • 1939–1979: Revolutionary cleric– Born in 1939 in Mashhad, Khamenei trained as a Shiite cleric and became active in opposition to the Shah. He was closely aligned with revolutionary leader Ruhollah Khomeini during the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the monarchy. • 1981–1989: President of Iran-After surviving an assassination attempt in 1981 that left his right arm paralysed, Khamenei became President of Iran. He served two terms during the Iran-Iraq war, building ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). • 1989: Appointed Supreme Leader– Following Khomeini’s death in 1989, Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed Khamenei as supreme leader — despite him not holding the highest clerical rank at the time. In his early years, some viewed him as a compromise choice. Over time, however, he consolidated authority by strengthening alliances with the IRGC and intelligence bodies. While presidents managed day-to-day governance, ultimate power rested with him — especially on security, nuclear policy and relations with Washington. Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace once described his rise as an “accident of history” that transformed a “weak president” into one of modern Iran’s most powerful figures. ## What defined Khamenei’s rule Khamenei was a long-time opponent of the United States and Israel. He supported armed groups across the region and backed Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, which Tehran described as “defensive tools.” • 2000s: Nuclear expansion and confrontation : Under Khamenei, Iran accelerated uranium enrichment, insisting its nuclear programme was peaceful. Tehran argued enrichment was a sovereign right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Western powers accused Iran of seeking weapons capability. Sanctions intensified through the 2000s, targeting Iran’s oil exports and banking system. • 2009: Green Movement protests: Mass protests erupted over disputed presidential elections. Security forces cracked down, marking one of the first major domestic challenges to his authority. • 2013–2015: “Heroic flexibility” and nuclear deal: In 2013, Khamenei introduced the concept of “heroic flexibility,” signalling limited tactical compromise. This paved the way for the 2015 nuclear agreement — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — between Iran and world powers. The deal restricted uranium enrichment levels, reduced centrifuges and allowed international inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. • 2018: US withdrawal and renewed sanctions: Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018 and reinstated sweeping sanctions. Iran gradually reduced compliance, increasing enrichment levels and expanding advanced centrifuge use. At home, Khamenei relied on security forces to contain unrest. Protests in 2009, 2022 and earlier were suppressed. During recent demonstrations over rising prices, he said protesters “should be put in their place” before security forces intervened. In his final months, he faced renewed US pressure over Iran’s nuclear programme and missiles. He refused to negotiate limits on ballistic missiles. Earlier Israeli and US strikes had killed senior commanders and damaged military sites. ## Regional strategy: ‘Axis of Resistance’ Khamenei supported allied armed groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, projecting influence across the Middle East. Iran described these alliances as defensive deterrence against Israel and the US. • 2022: Mahsa Amini protests: Nationwide unrest followed the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. Demonstrations were forcefully suppressed. • 2026: Killed in US-Israel Strikes-In February 2026, amid escalating direct confrontation between Iran, the United States and Israel, Khamenei was killed in coordinated airstrikes, according to Iranian state media and Western officials. His death closes a 37-year tenure as supreme leader a period defined by confrontation with the West, tight domestic control, and Iran’s emergence as a dominant regional power. ## Final months: Escalation and strikes In his final months, Khamenei faced intensified US and Israeli pressure over Iran’s expanding uranium enrichment which had reached near weapons-grade levels and its ballistic missile programme. He rejected negotiations limiting missile development, calling it non-negotiable national defence. Earlier Israeli and US strikes had killed senior IRGC commanders and damaged nuclear and military facilities. The latest coordinated attack ultimately targeted the highest level of Iran’s leadership. Khamenei’s nearly four-decade rule was defined by confrontation with the West, expansion of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, regional proxy alliances and strict internal control shaping the Islamic Republic’s modern identity until his death.