Monday, July 20, 2026

‘There are many signs Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead,’ Netanyahu says

The Israeli prime minister said Israel, in collaboration with the U.S., coordinated the bombing of Iran on Saturday.

• February 28, 2026
Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Credit: CNN)
Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Credit: CNN)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that “there are many signs” that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in a barrage of airstrikes targeted at his residence earlier on Saturday.

“There are many signs that Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei is no longer alive,” Mr Netanyahu said in a video statement.

The Israeli prime minister said Israel, in collaboration with the U.S., coordinated the bombing of Iran on Saturday.

Though Mr Khamenei’s death has not been officially confirmed, his whereabouts are unknown. However, if confirmed, this would end his reign of over three decades in Iran.

Earlier, local media announced Mr Khamenei, 86, would speak in a live broadcast. But hours later, the supreme leader has yet to make a public appearance that could prove he is alive.

So far, two top Iranian government officials, Iran’s Defence Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour, have been reported dead in Saturday’s airstrikes coordinated by the U.S. and Israel.

Details of how many top Iranian officials have been killed in the joint strike carried out by U.S. and Israeli forces on Saturday are still unknown.

In retaliation, Iran launched several missiles at countries in the Middle East, where there are U.S. bases.

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