Iran supreme leader Khamenei dies at 86 after US-Israel strikes

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led the country for more than three decades, has died at the age of 86 after being killed in joint US-Israel airstrikes on Tehran, according to Iranian state media

The strikes targeted key military and leadership sites, with Khamenei’s compound among those hit, marking one of the most dramatic escalations in tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel in decades.

Khamenei, who came to power in 1989, was Iran’s most powerful figure, holding ultimate authority over the military, judiciary and political system. His death brings an abrupt end to a 36-year rule defined by a hardline stance against the West and deep involvement in regional conflicts.

The 86-year-old leader had long been at the centre of rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme, repeatedly rejecting US pressure to curb uranium enrichment. The conflict intensified in recent years, eventually leading to direct military confrontation and the strikes that killed him.

Iran has announced a 40-day mourning period following his death, as uncertainty grows over who will succeed him and how the country will respond.

Khamenei’s death is likely to have major consequences not just for Iran but for the wider Middle East, with fears of further escalation already rising.