Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, may no longer be alive following a series of coordinated U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. The announcement came hours after massive explosions shook Tehran.
“This morning, in a powerful surprise strike, the compound of the tyrant Ali Khamenei was destroyed in the heart of Tehran… and there are many signs that this tyrant is no longer alive,” Netanyahu stated during a televised address on Saturday.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Washington’s involvement, declaring that the U.S. military had launched major combat operations in Iran. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally, again, obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their navy,” Trump said in a video message.
The strikes coincided with a devastating attack on the Shajareye Tayabeh all-girls elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan province, where at least 85 people, mostly schoolgirls, were reported killed. Dozens of children and teachers were injured as emergency teams continued to search through the rubble. Local prosecutors and state media confirmed the casualties, while Iranian officials strongly condemned the strike as a deliberate attack on civilians.
Minab, near the Strait of Hormuz, was among several strategic locations targeted amid the broader U.S.–Israeli offensive. The escalating military actions have raised fears of wider regional conflict.
Earlier, António Guterres condemned the ongoing hostilities, warning that continued military escalation between Iran and the U.S./Israel could destabilize the region and endanger millions of civilians. He urged all parties to immediately cease hostilities and return to diplomatic negotiations.