Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the "opening blow" of a major military operation targeting Iran, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Sunday.
"The tyrant Khamenei was eliminated in the opening blow of Operation ‘Roar of the Lion’ and with him other senior figures in the Iranian terrorist stronghold," Katz confirmed, taking to the microblogging site on X.
He further noted, "Justice was done and the axis of evil suffered a fatal blow". He added that Israel will “continue to act with all our might to defend the State of Israel.”
הצורר חמינאי סוכל במכת הפתיחה של מבצע "שאגת הארי" ואיתו עוד בכירים במבצר הטרור האיראני. מי שפעל להשמדת ישראל - הושמד. הצדק נעשה וציר הרשע ספג מכה אנושה. ברכות לראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו על המנהיגות והנחישות ולצה"ל על הביצוע המבריק. נמשיך לפעול בכל העוצמה להגנת מדינת ישראל 🇮🇱— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) March 1, 2026
US President Donald Trump had announced Khamenei’s death hours earlier, saying it provided Iranians their “greatest chance” to reclaim control of their country.
The joint US-Israeli strikes targeted key Iranian military and governmental sites, reportedly killing over 100 girls at an elementary school in southern Iran, according to state reports. Trump indicated that the heavy and precise bombing campaign would continue throughout the week as necessary.
The assassination of Khamenei, who held ultimate authority over all Iranian policy decisions, has created an immediate leadership vacuum. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned of its “most intense offensive operation” in history, threatening strikes on Israel and US bases.
Retaliatory attacks have already hit American military positions, Israeli sites, and other targets across the Middle East, disrupting air travel, oil shipments, and daily life in the region.
The regional fallout has been swift.
In Tehran, some reportedly celebrated the death of Khamenei, while US cities saw both celebrations and protests over the strikes. Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged an immediate ceasefire, calling on all sides to avoid escalation and resume dialogue.
The strikes mark a new chapter in US intervention in Iran, following previous attacks in the last eight months amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
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