Trump, Israel claim Khamenei dead; Iran says he is 'firmly commanding the field'

US President Donald Trump and Israeli officials have claimed that Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, while Iranian news agencies reported that the country's supreme leader remains alive and is continuing to lead.

At 3:37am (Bangladesh time) on Sunday, the US president, in his Truth Social, wrote, "Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead."  

"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."

"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."

"This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us."

At 1:38am, Reuters reported that a senior Israeli official told it that Khamenei is dead and his body has been found.

However, Iranian state media IRNA soon cited a source close to Khamenei's office as saying: "I can tell you with confidence that the leader of the revolution is steadfast and firm in commanding the field."

Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr also reported the same, while Iran Times, citing sources, said Khamenei was "completely safe and sound".

Two Israeli sources familiar with the matter also told CNN that Khamenei was dead. 

One source said Israel had obtained a photo of his dead body, while the second source said an official announcement was being prepared.

During a brief address at 1:09am Bangladesh time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were many signs that Iran's Khamenei "is no longer", reports Reuters.

He did not explicitly confirm his death, but called on Iranian citizens to "flood the streets and finish the job".

The United States believes Khamenei and five to 10 top Iranian leaders were killed in an initial Israeli strike, a Fox News reporter said on Saturday, citing a US official.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, has ruled Iran since 1989. As Supreme Leader, he holds ultimate authority over all branches of government, the military and the judiciary in the Shia Islamic republic.

We feel that that is a correct story: Trump

Earlier, addressing the reports that Khamenei was killed, US President Donald Trump told NBC News, "We feel that that is a correct story".

He also told ABC News that he believes "a lot" of Iranian leadership has been killed in US and Israeli strikes.

When asked directly if the administration believes that the Iranian leadership were killed, Trump replied: "A lot of it is, yeah. But we don't know all, but a lot of it is. Was a very powerful strike."

He said the attacks will continue "as long as we wanted to".

The US president told ABC correspondent Rachel Scott: "I don't want to say anything definitively until I see things but we believe he is. And much of their leaders are gone."

"The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone," he told NBC.

Asked about who will replace Khamenei, Trump said, "I don't know, but at some point they'll be calling me to ask who I'd like... I'm only being a little sarcastic when I say that."

Israeli military says seven high-ranking Iranian officials killed

Meanwhile, Israeli military spokesperson Effie Defrin, in a televised address, claimed Israel killed several top Iranian officials in Saturday's attacks on Iran, reports Al Jazeera.

The most prominent of those is Ali Shamkhani, former secretary of Iran's National Security Council and close adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Shamkhani survived a June 2025 Israeli strike on his home in Tehran.

Defrin also claimed that Mohammad Pakpour, a commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iran's defence minister Amir Nasirzadeh were killed in the strikes.

The Israeli military official did not define a timeframe when a reporter asked how long their operations would continue.

Saturday's strikes on Iran targeted 24 provinces, killing at least 201 people, according to Iranian media reports, citing the Red Crescent.

Iran responded with a wave of counterattacks, targeting Israel and US military assets across the Middle East.