Iranian dictator Ali Khamenei “is likely dead”, Israeli media has reported, citing a source, as mystery surrounds the fate of the Ayatollah following US strikes on the country.

Channel 12 reported that unnamed Israeli sources were pointing to “growing indications” that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, may have been killed in the morning’s airstrikes, or at the very least seriously injured. The same sources said earlier that the operation had inflicted “very significant harm” on Iran’s senior leadership and top military commanders, though no official confirmation has been issued by either side.

Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran early Saturday.

According to Israeli media reports, unnamed officials claim that President Donald Trump ordered the first wave of joint missile strikes to specifically target Iran’s supreme leader.

The initial explosions were reported near Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s offices in Tehran, raising questions about his condition and whereabouts, though no official confirmation has been issued by Iranian authorities.

Ali Khamenei’s long tenure has had a defining impact on Iran’s political system and its position in the region. As Supreme Leader, he has shaped the country’s domestic governance, guided its regional strategy, and overseen its responses to international pressure, including nuclear negotiations and conflicts involving Iran’s allies and rivals. His authority extends across all major state institutions, allowing him to influence Iran’s political direction and its broader role in Middle Eastern and global affairs.

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