Israel Defends Killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei as Lawful Under Laws of War
Israel's military has publicly asserted that the strike which eliminated Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, adhered strictly to the principles of international law governing armed conflicts. The declaration came on Thursday from Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani, who described the operation as a legitimate targeting of a key military figure amid the ongoing war that erupted in late February. Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989, was killed on February 28, 2026, in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike on his compound in Tehran, along with several other senior Iranian officials, family members, and entourage. Shoshani stated on X (formerly Twitter): "Under the international law of armed conflict, military commanders directing armed forces during war can constitute lawful military targets. As Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei served as Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces. He was the final decision-maker on Iran's military operations....