The rise and fall of Iran's ruthless and pragmatic Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

"When he appeared in public for the first time in five years in October 2024, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had an uncompromising message: Israel won't last long, he told tens of thousands of supporters at a mosque in Tehran in a Friday sermon. We must stand up against the enemy while strengthening our unwavering faith, the then-84-year-old told the gathering."

"Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that there were many signs indicating Khamenei is no longer with us, without explicitly confirming his death. While there has been no official confirmation of his death from Iranian officials, it is very clear that he was in the crosshairs from the earliest moments of Saturday's strikes, with satellite imagery showing that his secure compound was heavily damaged in the initial barrage."

"Back in October 2024, Khamenei already appeared to have his back to a wall. Days before, Israel had killed Hassan Nasrallah, the veteran secretary general of Hezbollah, with huge bombs dropped on the militant Islamist movement's headquarters in Beirut. The assassination was a personal blow to Khamenei, who had known Nasrallah for decades."

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, made a defiant public appearance in October 2024 after five years, declaring Israel's imminent demise. However, seventeen months later, Israeli strikes targeted his secure compound heavily, with satellite imagery showing significant damage. Benjamin Netanyahu suggested Khamenei is no longer alive, though Iranian officials have not confirmed his death or provided evidence of his escape. This confrontation represents a culmination of escalating tensions, including Israel's assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and previous air offensives that exposed Iran's defensive vulnerabilities. The Iranian missile and drone response proved insufficient against Israeli capabilities, and US intervention further weakened Iran's strategic position.

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