Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in Israeli airstrikes?

TEHRAN: Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected Israel's claim of assassinating Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an airstrike in Iran on Saturday morning. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with NBC News that Khamenei was safe.

Israeli Channel 12 was the first to report on Khamenei’s purported death in the airstrikes. The channel also revealed that it had received indications in this regard. Subsequently, other Israeli media outlets, citing Channel 12, also reported that Khamenei had been killed. However, the veracity remained questioned. These reports were denied by the Iranian Foreign Minister. He said that to his knowledge, Khamenei is still alive.

The joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran began on Saturday morning. Reports emerged that Khamenei's palace was destroyed in the attack, and the supreme leader was moved to a safe location. Israel also claimed that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Pakpour was killed in the attack. Pakpour, one of Iran's most powerful men, rose to this position following the assassination of his predecessor, Hossein Salami.