Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delivered a major televised address, stating that there are growing signs that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during the initial wave of the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign.
The Decapitation Strike
The announcement follows intense bombardment of downtown Tehran during Operation “Roar of the Lion.” According to Netanyahu and confirmed by recent satellite imagery, allied bunker-busters successfully obliterated Khamenei’s highly secure compound.
* Netanyahu’s Declaration: While stopping short of an absolute, incontrovertible confirmation, Netanyahu delivered the strongest official indication yet of the 86-year-old leader’s death. “All indications show this tyrant is no longer with us,” the Prime Minister stated, adding that the “murderous terrorist regime” is currently unraveling.
* Call to Uprising: Capitalizing on the chaos and the ongoing communications blackout, Netanyahu directly addressed the Iranian public, urging citizens to “flood the streets” and seize the historic opportunity to finally topple the theocracy.
Tehran’s Shaky Denials
The Israeli claims stand in stark contrast to the official narrative emanating from the remnants of the Iranian government, though Tehran’s messaging has appeared increasingly fractured.
* Iranian state media and the Foreign Ministry initially released statements claiming that both the Supreme Leader and the President were “safe and sound,” accusing Israel of engaging in “mental warfare.”
* However, in a notably hesitant interview earlier today, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Khamenei was alive “as far as I know,” a phrasing that only fueled further global speculation. Khamenei himself has not been seen or heard from since the massive allied bombardment began.
Mounting Casualties and Chaos
As the fog of war thickens, the kinetic reality on the ground is becoming clearer. Media reports indicate that the massive allied airstrikes have killed at least 201 people across Iran so far. With the regime’s communications severely crippled by Israel’s unprecedented cyberattack, the exact status of Iran’s surviving chain of command remains critically paralyzed as the region braces for the next phase of the war.
