... Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in the U.S.- Israeli strikes on Iran, according to multiple reports.
The death of the Islamic Republic leader marks a major achievement for President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who both called for regime change and urged Iranians to rise up against the clerical government in the wake of the strikes.
Israeli officials initially said they saw "signs" that Khamenei was dead, but later said they had confirmed his death, saying his body had been found, Reuters reported. ...
Iranian officials declined to say with certainty Khamenei was alive, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying soon after the strikes the leader was still alive "as far as I know."
Earlier, there were reports that Khamenei had been relocated to a secure facility according to Iranian officials. Hours after the strikes, Iranian media also broadcast that Khamenei would be delivering an address to the nation. But that did not happen.
Netanyahu in a TV broadcast claimed that there were "signs" of Khamenei's demise, with Iran continuing to deny those reports, saying the supreme leader was "safe and sound" and later that he was "steadfast and firm in commanding the field," according to British outlet Sky News. ...
