Khamenei: Netanyahu says ‘many signs’ show khamenei ‘no longer alive’
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there are "many signs" that Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may have been killed after a major US and Israeli combat operation against Iran. At least 201 people were killed in Iran in the strikes, and the US president said he "feels that that is a correct story" about khamenei.
Netanyahu on Khamenei's fate
Benjamin Netanyahu told media he has seen "many signs" that Ali Khamenei may have been killed. Netanyahu's public remarks followed a major combat operation carried out by US and Israeli forces against Iran.
Claims Khamenei no longer alive
The Israeli assertion that Khamenei is dead is part of a sequence of claims and counterclaims. A reporter, citing a US official, said the United States believes Khamenei is dead, along with five to 10 top Iranian leaders who were killed in an initial Israeli strike.
US president’s statements on leadership
The US president spoke to US media and gave a series of statements backing elements of the Israeli account. He said, "We feel that that is a correct story. " He added that "most" of Iran's senior leadership is "gone, " and said, "The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone. " When asked about whether the US believes Iranian leaders were killed in the strikes, he said, "A lot of it is, yeah. But we don’t know all, but a lot of it is. Was a very powerful strike. " Asked if a next leader has been identified, he said: "Yes. We have a very good idea. "
What militaries said about targets
An IDF spokesperson said "a number of the most senior leaders of Iran", including the leader of its Revolutionary Guards, were "targeted" and killed in the strikes, and named Khameini’s senior adviser Ali Shamkhani among those killed. The spokesperson did not, however, mention Khamenei by name in that statement.
Iran’s statements and wider uncertainty
Iran’s semi-official news agencies have described the supreme leader as "steadfast and firm in commanding the field, " contradicting claims he was killed. There remains no official, independently verified confirmation of Khamenei’s fate, and the record shows competing narratives from the two sides.
The immediate sequence is this: US and Israeli forces launched a major combat operation; an initial Israeli strike is said to have killed five to 10 top Iranian leaders; an IDF spokesperson described senior Iranian leaders, including the leader of the Revolutionary Guards and Ali Shamkhani, as targeted and killed; Benjamin Netanyahu said he saw "many signs" Khamenei is no longer alive; the US president said he "feels" the reports are "a correct story" and that many senior leaders are "gone"; Iran’s semi-official agencies called the supreme leader "steadfast and firm in commanding the field"; at least 201 people were killed in Iran in the strikes. There is still no official confirmation of Khamenei's status.
Officials and commentators continue to present differing accounts, and the situation remains unclear in the provided context.
