Netanyahu claims signs Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei may be dead after US-Israel strikes

Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that there were “many signs” Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, may be dead following massive coordinated strikes by Israel and the United States on Iranian territory.

The large-scale attacks triggered retaliatory missile launches from Iran, forcing residents across several Middle Eastern cities to seek shelter as air defence systems attempted interceptions.

Iranian authorities urged residents to evacuate the capital, Tehran, a city of about 10 million people, as the Iranian Red Crescent reported that at least 201 people were killed and more than 700 injured in the strikes. The Iranian judiciary said one attack that struck a school in the south killed 108 people, although the casualty figures could not be independently verified.

Netanyahu, in a televised address, claimed that Israel and the United States had carried out a surprise operation targeting Khamenei’s compound in central Tehran.

“This morning, in a powerful surprise strike, the compound of the tyrant Ali Khamenei was destroyed in the heart of Tehran… and there are many signs that this tyrant is no longer alive,” he said.

However, Iranian officials gave conflicting accounts about Khamenei’s status. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the supreme leader was alive “as far as I know,” while foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said he was not in a position to confirm the reports.

The offensive came after Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had begun what he described as “major combat operations” aimed at eliminating threats from Iran’s leadership and military capabilities.

Iran responded by launching missiles and drones targeting Israeli territory and American military installations across the region, including bases in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Explosions were reported across Israel as missile interception systems were activated, while authorities said two people were injured. The United Arab Emirates reported one civilian death and damage to property in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi following Iranian strikes.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also warned that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed, raising fears of disruption to global oil supplies.

Netanyahu said the military campaign would continue, warning that thousands of additional targets could be struck in the coming days.

“This morning we eliminated senior figures in the ayatollahs’ regime — commanders in the Revolutionary Guards and senior officials in the nuclear programme — and we will continue,” he said.

Airspaces across Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Israel were closed as tensions escalated, while several international airlines suspended flights to the region.

The strikes represent one of the largest coordinated military operations in the Middle East in recent decades, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.