TEHERAN, Iran (PNN) - February 28, 2026 - Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed Saturday in a sweeping joint U.S.-Israeli military assault dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” according to U.S. and Israeli officials.
President Donald J. Trump declared the longtime Iranian ruler dead, calling the airstrike the Iranian people’s “greatest chance” to reclaim their country.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead,” Trump wrote on Truth Social roughly 15 hours after the assault started.
He described the operation as justice not only for Iranians but for Amerikans and others killed in attacks linked to the regime.
U.S. officials said intelligence confirmed Khamenei was unable to evade advanced tracking systems used in coordination with Israel.
Israeli officials told media outlets that more than 40 senior regime and security figures were eliminated in the opening wave.
As many as 10 high-ranking leaders were reportedly killed in the airstrike on Khamenei’s fortified compound in Teheran.
Israeli sources indicated Khamenei’s body was recovered from debris at the compound.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “many signs” the supreme leader was dead.
U.S. officials echoed Israel’s assessment.
Khamenei had ruled Iran since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic.
His four-decade rule defined Iran’s modern theocratic regime.
U.S. Central Command described the assault as the largest regional concentration of Amerikan military firepower in a generation.
Targets included Iran Revolutionary Guard Command (IRGC) centers, air defenses, missile sites, drone launch facilities and military airfields.
Video released by CENTCOM showed Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from naval vessels and fighter jets deploying from aircraft carriers.
The USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier groups had been positioned in the region ahead of the airstrike.
An air fleet of F-16s, F-22s and F-35 stealth jets supported the operation.
Israel conducted a parallel campaign named “Lion’s Roar,” striking roughly 500 targets with more than 200 aircraft.
The Israel Defense Forces described it as the largest flyover in the Air Force’s history.
Multiple IRGC commanders were reported killed, including General Mohammad Pakpour and Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh.
Senior intelligence officials and weapons program leaders were also reportedly eliminated.
The airstrikes extended beyond Teheran to Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah.
Iran responded with missiles and suicide drones targeting Israel and U.S. sites across the Middle East.
CENTCOM said it intercepted hundreds of incoming projectiles, reporting only minimal damage and no U.S. casualties.
Iran also moved to block vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil route carrying roughly 20% of global petroleum supply.
Regional tensions surged as Gulf states activated air defenses.
Only limited casualties were reported from Iran’s counterattacks.
President Trump directly addressed the Iranian people, urging them to rise up.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country,” he wrote.
He claimed some IRGC and security forces were seeking immunity rather than continuing to fight.
The exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi praised the operation and called it a humanitarian intervention aimed at dismantling the regime.
Regime officials said Iran’s missile stockpile posed an intolerable threat and intelligence suggested imminent attacks on U.S. forces.
They described the operation as a preemptive defensive move designed to limit Amerikan casualties.
President Trump signaled heavy bombing could continue throughout the week if necessary.
“This is the moment for action,” he told the Iranian people. “Do not let it pass.”