Israel has defended the killing of Ali Khamenei, saying the strike complied with international laws governing armed conflict because he served as the commander-in-chief of Iran’s armed forces.
The escalation comes amid a wider conflict that began after coordinated military strikes by Israel and the United States targeted Iranian facilities and leadership figures, including the operation that killed Khamenei.
Israel has argued the strikes were necessary to protect its national security, claiming Iran had been rebuilding its nuclear weapons programme in a new underground facility. Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said the attack on Khamenei met the requirements of international humanitarian law.
“Under the international law of armed conflict, military commanders directing armed forces during war can constitute lawful military targets,” Shoshani said in a post on X. “As Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei served as Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces,” he added, describing the ayatollah as “the final decision-maker on Iran’s military operations”.
Shoshani said that during the conflict Khamenei had overseen operations targeting Israel and coordinated support for allied armed groups in the region. “Neutralizing the regime’s Commander-in-Chief delivered a clear military advantage by degrading Iran’s ability to plan and coordinate attacks against Israel,” he said.
Iranian media reported that members of Khamenei’s family, including his wife, son-in-law and two grandchildren who were minors, also died in the strike.
Following the assassination, Iran launched waves of missile attacks against Israel and targets across the Middle East, including facilities connected to the United States. Israel and the United States have continued carrying out air strikes on Iranian military targets as the conflict intensifies across the region.