ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s long-ruling Supreme Leader, has been killed in an American-Israeli strike on his compound in Tehran, US President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday.

"Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history is dead," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"This is not only justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many countries throughout the world, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS," the US president continued.

"He was unable to avoid our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do."

The United States and Israel on Saturday morning launched a large-scale military offensive across Iran, following months of escalating tensions between the two sides. The attacks targeted many of Iran’s political and military leadership, including Khamenei’s residence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day said that the strikes have destroyed Khamenei’s compound in Tehran, and that there are “many signs” that he is no longer alive.

"This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country," Trump continued on Truth Social. "We are hearing that many of their IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], military, and other security and police forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for immunity from us. 

Khamenei, 86, from Mashhad, was Iran’s highest political and religious authority for nearly 37 years, marking the longest-serving leader since the Islamic Revolution. 

US President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened military intervention in Iran if authorities continued killing protesters amid the recent nationwide demonstrations.

Khamenei was in direct command of harsh crackdowns on protests, particularly after the disputed 2009 election, leading to the deaths and repression of thousands.

The US-Israeli offensive comes days after American and Iranian officials held a third round of indirect negotiations in Geneva. US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was “not thrilled” with how Iran have been negotiating during the ongoing indirect talks, adding that he does not want to use military force, “but sometimes you have to.”

When asked about a potential regime change in Iran, Trump responded: “Nobody knows. There might be and there might not be.”

Khamenei was a leading opponent of the US and Israel, advancing the Islamic republic’s ideology by supporting regional proxies against both countries, and calling for their elimination.

During the June war with Israel, US President Donald Trump said Washington knew Khamenei’s location and urged Iran to surrender, while Israeli officials suggested he could be targeted. 

Khamenei was elected supreme leader on June 4, 1989, following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. 

At the time, Khamenei was serving as Iran’s president, a post he held for eight years from 1981 to 1989.

An influential student and ally of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini before the 1979 Islamic revolution, Khamenei took part in religious studies and opposition to the Pahlavi dynasty. After the revolution, he rose quickly in the new Islamic republic, serving on the Revolutionary Council and in senior government and military posts before becoming president.

The military, judiciary, and state media, along with key bodies that vet election candidates, are under his control. 

He was not designated a terrorist but has been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union, facing asset freezes, travel bans, and financial restrictions.

In 1981, during his early years as a senior official, Khamenei survived an assassination attempt when a bomb hidden in a tape recorder exploded during a speech, severely injuring his right arm.