Israeli news outlets, citing high-profile sources, have reported with cautious optimism that the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been eliminated. Also mentioned among those declared eliminated are:

  • Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohammad Pakpour,
  • Khamenei’s advisor Ali Shamkhani,
  • the Minister of Defense,
  • the Chief of Staff,
  • the head of Iranian military intelligence.

However, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed these reports, stating that the entire leadership is “alive and well.” He added that perhaps “one or two commanders have died, but this is not a serious issue.”