Following airstrikes and military offensives in Iran, many Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been killed.
The deaths of several top Iranian leaders mark a major escalation in the US-Israel conflict with Iran. (Photo: Social Media)
Several senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have reportedly been killed during the recent US-Israel military strikes on Iran. Alongside the top cleric, high-ranking military and defence officials, including key security advisers and commanders, were targeted in the coordinated attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major joint attack by Israel and the United States, Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday. Reports said the 86-year-old died in an airstrike that struck his compound in Tehran. Khamenei headed Iran’s clerical leadership and the Revolutionary Guard, the twin pillars of the Islamic Republic’s power structure. Authorities have since formed an interim council to run the country until a new supreme leader is selected
Mohammad Pakpour, who had served as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps since June 2025, was among the senior figures killed in the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. He took over as the Guard’s top commander after Israel killed its past commander in the 12-day war in 2025. Identified by Israeli officials as a key architect of Tehran’s military posture against Israel, Pakpour oversaw strategic missile deployments and coordinated support for Iranian-backed militant groups across multiple fronts. He was also accused of directing the crackdown on anti-government protests during last month’s unrest. His death marks a significant blow to Iran’s military command structure and the IRGC’s operational leadership.
A top defense official and senior adviser to the Supreme Leader, Ali Shamkhani served as secretary of Iran’s Defense Council from 2025 until his death in the airstrikes. He was a central figure in Iran’s security decision-making process. Shamkhani was a former IRGC Navy chief and army chief, and served as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council for 10 years.
Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister under President Masoud Pezeshkian, was also killed in the strikes. A veteran of the Iran–Iraq War, Nasirzadeh had held several top military roles, including deputy chief of staff of the armed forces and commander of the Iranian Air Force between 2018 and 2021.
Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi was among the senior Iranian military figures killed in the strikes. A longtime army commander, he served in multiple top roles, including deputy commander-in-chief of the Iranian Army and later chief of staff of the Ground Forces from 2017 to 2025. Mousavi had also faced sanctions from the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, and Australia over alleged human rights abuses tied to the violent suppression of protests.
The deaths of several top Iranian leaders mark a major escalation in the US-Israel conflict with Iran. The strikes could trigger strong retaliation and increase the risk of a wider regional war. With Iran’s leadership badly hit, the situation may reshape power in West Asia and lead to prolonged instability in the region.
