Two sources in Iran told Reuters that shortly before the strike on his residence, Iran’s supreme leader was meeting in a secure location with senior advisers Ali Larijani and Ali Shamkhani. The Israel Defense Forces said Shamkhani was killed in strikes Saturday morning, and President Donald Trump confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was also killed. Larijani posted on his account on X on Saturday night, and it was not immediately clear whether he survived.
A U.S. source said Khamenei had been scheduled to hold the meeting later in the evening in Tehran, but Israeli intelligence detected that it was taking place Saturday morning and the strikes were moved up. The location of the meeting was not disclosed, though Khamenei’s secure compound in Tehran was hit in the opening wave. Trump said Khamenei was unable to evade U.S. intelligence and advanced surveillance systems and that, in close coordination with Israel, neither he nor other leaders killed alongside him could have prevented the attack.
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Saudi defense minister with Khamenei
(Photo: WANA (West Asia News Agency), IRANIAN FOREIN MINISTRY / AFP)
It remains unclear how Khamenei’s death will affect the stability of Iran’s ruling system. In a pre-strike assessment, the CIA had estimated he could be replaced by hard-line elements within the Revolutionary Guard. Israel and the United States, however, are expected to seek broader regime change and have presented it as one of the operation’s objectives.
The Washington Post reported that, in addition to Israel, Saudi Arabia pressed Trump to launch the attack. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump several times to encourage the move, despite publicly supporting a diplomatic solution. According to the report, the crown prince told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Saudi Arabia would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for attacks against Iran. In conversations with U.S. officials, however, he warned that Iran would emerge stronger and more dangerous if Washington did not use the significant military force it has assembled in the Middle East.
The Post said the crown prince’s brother, Khalid bin Salman, delivered a similar message in private meetings during a visit to Washington in January. The report said Trump ultimately decided to proceed with the attack despite his long-standing policy and although there was no direct threat from Iran to U.S. territory.
According to the Post, the crown prince’s dual approach likely reflected a desire to avoid Iranian retaliation against Saudi oil infrastructure. People close to him acknowledged that he views Tehran as Riyadh’s principal regional adversary. Saudi Arabia, led by its Sunni leadership, and Shiite-led Iran have long been rivals.