Is Khamenei dead in US-Israeli strikes? Nethanyahu says ‘there are signs’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed there are “many signs” that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is no longer alive following joint US-Israeli strikes, but no independent confirmation has emerged to support the assertion.

The remarks came after a reported US-Israeli operation targeted a compound linked to the 86-year-old leader. Israeli officials said around 30 bombs were dropped on the site, though it remains unclear whether Khamenei was present at the time.

Netanyahu said Israel had killed several senior figures associated with Iran’s nuclear programme and had targeted the location where Khamenei was believed to be. He did not provide visual or independent evidence to substantiate the claim that the supreme leader had been killed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the assertion in an interview with NBC News, stating that Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were alive. He said most senior officials were safe, adding that while one or two commanders may have been lost, the leadership remained intact.

The Israeli military said it struck about 500 targets across Iran under what it described as Operation Epic Fury. Iranian authorities have not announced any change in leadership, and no official statement has confirmed harm to Khamenei.

Given the absence of verified information, the status of Iran’s supreme leader remains unconfirmed.