Military spokesman cites supreme leader’s role as commander-in-chief; family members among dead as regional conflict intensifies
Tel Aviv — Israel has formally asserted that the strike killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei complied with international laws of armed conflict, designating him a lawful military target in his capacity as commander-in-chief of Iranian forces.
The announcement comes as Iranian media report that Khamenei’s wife, son-in-law, and two minor grandchildren were also killed in the operation that eliminated the 86-year-old cleric who had ruled Iran for nearly four decades.
“The strike complied with international law,” Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani declared Thursday on X, formerly Twitter. “Under the international law of armed conflict, military commanders directing armed forces during war can constitute lawful military targets.”
Shoshani characterized Khamenei as “the final decision-maker on Iran’s military operations,” alleging he had “directed the use of force against Israel and oversaw the funding, arming, and coordination of the regime’s terror proxies” during the ongoing conflict.
“Neutralising the regime’s Commander-in-Chief delivered a clear military advantage by degrading Iran’s ability to plan and coordinate attacks against Israel,” he added.
Regional Conflict Escalates
The strike that killed Khamenei was part of coordinated US-Israeli operations beginning Saturday, which Israel maintains were essential to counter Iran’s alleged reconstitution of its nuclear weapons programme in a new underground facility.
Iran has responded with waves of missile attacks on Israeli territory and US targets across the Middle East, including military and diplomatic installations. Both Israel and the United States continue to conduct strikes on Iranian positions as hostilities intensify.
The killing of Khamenei marks an unprecedented escalation in the conflict, removing a figure who had held ultimate authority over Iran’s political and military apparatus since 1989. His death has sent shockwaves through the region, with Iran vowing retaliation and its proxy forces across the Middle East heightening attacks.
International observers have raised questions about the strike’s proportionality and its impact on civilians, given the reported deaths of family members. Israel has not commented specifically on the casualties beyond the supreme leader.
