Tehran: Conflicting and unverified reports have surfaced regarding the status of Ali Khamenei following claims by Israeli officials that he may have been killed in a recent joint U.S.–Israeli strike on Tehran.
The speculation intensified after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested there was a “strong possibility” that Iran’s Supreme Leader was no longer alive. Following his remarks, several Israeli media outlets began reporting that Khamenei had been killed during targeted strikes.
According to Reuters, senior Israeli officials initially claimed that Khamenei’s body had been recovered. However, Reuters’ Arabic service later retracted the report, stating that the information could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, BBC News reported that it was unable to independently confirm the claim of Khamenei’s death.U.S.-based outlet Axios cited an unnamed source alleging that Israel’s ambassador to Washington informed American officials that Khamenei had been killed in a strike on his office compound early Saturday morning. The claim, however, remains unconfirmed by U.S. authorities.
Several Israeli media organizations, including Channel 12 and The Times of Israel, also carried reports citing Israeli officials who claimed the Iranian leader had been eliminated.
In response, Iranian authorities categorically denied the allegations.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told ABC News that both Supreme Leader Khamenei and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are safe and in good health.
Lebanon-based Arabic channel Al Mayadeen further reported that Khamenei is actively overseeing military operations from a war control room.
Another Iranian source claimed that the Supreme Leader was not present in Tehran at the time of the reported strike.
Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA quoted Seyed Mehrdad Mahdi, head of public relations at the Supreme Leader’s office, as saying that “the enemy has resorted to psychological warfare,” urging the public to remain vigilant against misinformation.
As of now, there is no independent verification confirming the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The situation remains fluid amid escalating tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States.