Khamenei's Death: Full List, Details of Iran's Top Officials Killed During US-Israel Strike Are Out
- Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and several top military and security officials were confirmed killed following coordinated US-Israel strikes
- Iranian authorities and the Israeli military released the names of senior figures said to have died in the attacks
- Meanwhile, Tehran reported over 200 casualties nationwide and pledged retaliation against US and Israeli interests
Legit.ng Journalist Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award winner, with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance, and accountability in Nigeria.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has been confirmed dead alongside several of the country’s most powerful military and security officials following ongoing strikes attributed to the United States and Israel.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said there were "growing signs" that Iran's supreme leader, Khamenei, is "gone" after US and Israeli strikes.
Source: UGC
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei was killed during the coordinated attacks, which have targeted key government and military installations across the country. The development marks one of the most significant escalations in the region in decades.
List of top Iranian officials confirmed dead
According to Iranian authorities and state news agency IRNA, the following senior figures were killed:
- Ali Khamenei – Supreme Leader of Iran
- Ali Shamkhani – Khamenei’s security adviser and head of Iran’s Security Council
- Abdul Rahim Mousavi – Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces
- Aziz Nasirzadeh – Defence Minister
- Mohammad Pakpour – Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
IRNA added that more armed forces commanders were also killed, noting that their names would be released at a later time.
Israeli military publishes its own list
The Israeli military also released a separate list of senior Iranian figures it claimed were eliminated in Saturday’s airstrikes. Beyond the names already confirmed by Tehran, Israel said those killed included:
- Aziz Nasirzadeh, the country’s defence minister
- Ali Shamkhani, the head of the Iranian Security Council
- Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
- Saleh Asadi, an intelligence official
- Hossein Jabal Amelian and Reza Mozaffari-Nia, research officials
- Mohammed Shirazi, a longtime defence liaison.
The Israeli military further claimed it had struck “the heart of Tehran” for the first time since the latest wave of attacks began.
In a statement posted on Telegram, it said the strikes targeted government sites and were aimed at establishing aerial superiority and “paving the path to Tehran.”
Large plumes of smoke were reportedly seen rising from parts of the Iranian capital.
Iran vows revenge, casualties rise
In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) pledged retaliation, stating it had launched attacks on 27 bases hosting US troops across the Middle East, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv.
Explosions were reportedly heard in parts of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian state media said at least 201 people had been killed across 24 provinces since the attacks began.
President Donald Trump also stated in a Truth Social post that Khamenei was killed.
Trump warned Tehran against further escalation, saying Iran would be hit “with a force that has never been seen before” if it retaliates forcefully.
Interim leadership announced
Following Khamenei’s death, Iran’s government announced the formation of an interim council to oversee state affairs until a new supreme leader is elected. The council is said to include President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials.
The unfolding situation has heightened tensions across the Middle East, with regional and global powers closely monitoring developments as exchanges between Iran, the United States and Israel intensify.
Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, the last post that Legit.ng sighted on Khamenei’s verified X handle appeared to have cryptically confirmed the death, too.
Iran confirms death of Khamenei
Legit.ng earlier reported that the death of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been confirmed following the Israeli-United States attacks.
He was killed at his office early Saturday, February 28, while “performing his assigned duties.”
Al Jazeera cited Iran’s Fars and Tasnim news agencies as confirming the development, adding that 40 days of public mourning have been declared.
Source: Legit.ng
