On February 28, 2026, U.S. and Israeli forces launched a coordinated attack on Iran; Israeli and Western officials reported Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed when his Tehran compound was struck, though Iran’s state media and officials deny his death. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed the reports and asked whether people were “happy” about Khamenei’s death, framing the strikes as justice and urging Iranians to seize the moment. The strikes reportedly targeted senior IRGC and nuclear program figures, killed scores of civilians, and prompted Iranian missile and drone reprisals across the region, raising fears of wider escalation and uncertainty.

Sources: (aljazeera.com)