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Khamenei, IRGC Commander, Defense Minister, NSC Secretary confirmed killed

·Tehran, Iran

Israeli officials confirmed the IDF killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, IRGC Commander MG Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister BG Aziz Nasirzadeh, NSC Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Army Chief Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi. Iran's state media initially denied Khamenei's death before confirming it at 14:30 UTC. The decapitation strikes eliminated virtually the entire Iranian security establishment simultaneously.

Multiple senior Israeli intelligence officials, speaking to Axios and other outlets, confirmed the assassination of the following Iranian leadership: • Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — struck in Saadatabad residential compound, Tehran. Satellite imagery published by NYT shows multiple buildings within the compound complex destroyed. IRNA confirmed death at 14:30 UTC. • IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour — killed in IRGC HQ strike. Pakpour had replaced Hossein Salami, who was killed in the June 2025 war. • Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh — killed in Ministry of Defense building strike, Tehran. • Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani — killed in SNSC headquarters strike. • Islamic Republic of Iran Army Chief General Abdolrahim Mousavi — killed in Army HQ strike. Iranian state media initially denied all deaths. President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and Assembly of Experts head Alireza Arafi have assumed transitional leadership per constitutional succession. Former President Ahmadinejad's condition remains unknown — he was reportedly targeted. Crowds of Iranians began gathering in Tehran and other cities to celebrate following Khamenei's confirmed death, according to multiple reports and social media footage.
khameneikilledirgc-commanderleadership-decapitationday-1succession

Actor responses

Iran Transitional GovernmentOPPOSINGSTATEMENT

The Islamic Republic confirms the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader. The revolution will not die with him. All Islamic forces have been called to maximum retaliation.

Israeli PM NetanyahuSUPPORTINGSTATEMENT

Israel has eliminated several leaders responsible for the Iranian nuclear programme. The existential threat posed by the Iranian regime is being dismantled.

Sources

T1Axios / Israeli officials93% reliability
T2IRNA (Iranian state media)80% reliability
T1Reuters99% reliability
T1ISW/CTP Special Report97% reliability

Related signals (2)

ISW Research@@ISWResearchHIGH

ISW SPECIAL ASSESSMENT — IRAN LEADERSHIP DECAPITATION: Confirmed killed (Feb 28): Supreme Leader Khamenei, IRGC CINC Pakpour, DefMin Nasirzadeh, SNSC Sec Shamkhani, Army Chief Mousavi. This is the most comprehensive elimination of a state security leadership in a single operational day since WWII. Iran's formal command structure is effectively destroyed. Key uncertainty: IRGC unit-level cohesion and pre-delegated retaliatory authority. Pre-planned protocols are likely executing autonomously. Full assessment: understandingwar.org

2026-02-28 19:15 UTC
143.0K likes89.0K RT6.7M views
PHAROS NOTE✅ ISW/CTP is a tier-1 conflict analysis organization. Assessment of autonomous retaliation protocols is analytically sound — IRGC doctrine includes pre-delegated strike authority.
Reuters@@ReutersBREAKING

BREAKING: Iran's state broadcaster IRNA confirms Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in Israeli airstrikes on his residential compound in Tehran earlier today. IRGC confirms "martyrdom of the Supreme Leader" — Khamenei, 86, had led the Islamic Republic since 1989. Transitional leadership now forming under constitutional succession procedure. Full story: reuters.com

2026-02-28 14:38 UTC
892.0K likes441.0K RT67.0M views
PHAROS NOTE✅ Confirmed via IRNA (Iranian state media) and Axios sourcing senior Israeli officials. This is the highest-confidence confirmation available.