Ali Khamenei

Ali Khamenei was Iran’s Supreme Leader from 1989 until his assassination on 28 February 2026 during Operation Epic Fury, the coordinated US-Israeli airstrike campaign on Iran. His death was the central event that triggered Iran’s retaliatory closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the broader 2026 Iran war.

Connections

• Operation Epic Fury — killed in this operation
• 2026 Strait of Hormuz Crisis — consequence of his assassination
• Iran IRGC — institution he led