Iran has confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in joint US and Israeli strikes.
The Supreme Leader’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also killed in the bombardment.
The family deaths were reported on Iranian state media in the early hours of Sunday morning, following airstrikes on Iran at around 1.15am on Saturday by the US and Israel.
Khamenei, 86, was killed in the missile strike after nearly 37 years as the Islamic Republic’s leader.
In 1964, he married Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the New York Times reported. The couple had six children: four sons, Massoud, Mojtaba, Mostafa and Meysam, and two daughters, Bushra and Hoda, according to the outlet.
Earlier reports said Khamenei’s body was found under the rubble of his compound following the attacks.
Khamenei is believed to have lived there with his wife, children and many grandchildren, the BBC reported.
Iranian state media officially announced the leader’s death early on Sunday. ‘To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return,’ the news agency said, according to the New York Times.
An official 40 day mourning period was announced, as well as a seven-day national holiday in wake of Khamenei’s death.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were killed in joint US and Israeli strikes
A satellite image shows smoke rising from Khamenei’s compound in Tehran following US and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday
During the official announcement on an Iranian state news broadcast, the anchor wore black and stifled tears during the reading of a statement from the National Supreme Council, the Times reported.
The Council described Khamenei as a revered religious Islamic figure, and said his ‘long dream of martyrdom became true.’ It was noted that Khamenei was killed during the month of Ramadan.
According to the statement, Iranians were said to be mourning the leaders death but enemies of the country should note that ‘martyrdom will spark a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors,’ the outlet reported.
The president had earlier confirmed the Supreme Leader’s death in a post on Truth Social on Saturday, adding that ‘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,’ Trump wrote.
‘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.’
However, the president revealed he apparently knows who has stepped into the leadership role following Khamenei’s death.
In a phone call with CBS News, Trump said: ‘I know exactly who, but I can’t tell you.’
In 1964, Khamenei married Khojasteh Bagherzadeh. The couple had six children: four sons, Massoud, Mojtaba, Mostafa and Meysam, and two daughters, Bushra and Hoda
The areas that were hit first in the attacks ‘posed an imminent threat,’ CENTCOM said in a statement.
‘Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields,’ it said.
After the initial strikes, Iran launched retaliatory attacks, causing US forces and surrounding Middle Eastern countries to ‘defend against hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks,’ CENTCOM said.
This is a breaking news story.