U.S. President Donald Trump announced the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The announcement was made from the White House in the evening.
This announcement follows similar claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which were initially denied by the Iranian Foreign Minister. Trump followed up by confirming Khamenei's death following the bombing of his residence in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
"Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but also for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei," President Trump stated.
Earlier on February 28, the United States and Israel conducted a bombing operation targeting strategic locations in Tehran. This attack resulted in a response from the Iranian army in several countries in the region, including Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
According to Reuters, Israeli officials claimed that Khamenei's body was found in the rubble of his compound in Tehran. Images of the body were reportedly shown to Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump stated that Khamenei's death was "a correct story" and that most of the senior Iranian leaders had been killed. He also called on the Iranian people to "take back control of your government".
Iran has not yet officially confirmed the death of its supreme leader. The Iranian Red Crescent reported that at least 201 people were killed and 747 injured in the U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Khamenei's death comes amid heightened tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel. Negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program were underway before these strikes.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened an emergency meeting of the government. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, expressed her "deep concern" about the situation. Russia called the attack "unprovoked" and a violation of international law.
