Althouse: "Ayatollah is dead, Israel says/Body of Ali Khamenei has been found amid US-Israeli bombing, according to officials."

February 28, 2026

"Ayatollah is dead, Israel says/Body of Ali Khamenei has been found amid US-Israeli bombing, according to officials."

The London Times reports.

76 comments:

john mosby said...: Prof, the link is coming back as invalid for me - on two different platforms. CC, JSM; 2/28/26, 2:57 PM
Dave Begley said...: When this military action is over and successful and the people of Iran are free, I want the NYT editorial board, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Morning Joe, Erin Burnett, Senators Paul, Kaine and Murphy to all admit that they were wrong. And then they need to shut up about foreign policy for the rest of their natural lives.; 2/28/26, 2:58 PM
john mosby said...: There's an extra 'h' at the beginning: 'hhttps:...." CC, JSM; 2/28/26, 2:58 PM
Dave Begley said...: Fox News exclusively reported that more than 40 top military and civilian officials were terminated with extreme prejudice. Mossad had a spy on the inside. Attack was moved up in time to catch these clowns with their pants down on Saturday morning.; 2/28/26, 2:59 PM
narciso said...: US News, sport and opinion | The Times and The Sunday Times https://share.google/QL4GCByYaAHW5TNQJ; 2/28/26, 3:00 PM
Bob Boyd said...: Wait till Khamenei finds out the virgins are backordered and nobody knows when his allotment will be available.; 2/28/26, 3:02 PM
bagoh20 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/28/26, 3:05 PM
Aggie said...: (Reads fine print)'.....Hey, wait a minute, where does it say they're female virgins ? '; 2/28/26, 3:07 PM
Mason G said...: Judge Boasberg to rule that Khamenei be brought back to life any minute now.; 2/28/26, 3:07 PM
narciso said...: Even jeb dont have that power; 2/28/26, 3:11 PM
Bob Boyd said...: Hope and Change; 2/28/26, 3:11 PM
Dave Begley said...: I filled up with gas and noticed that prices were about .20 more than on Friday. The woman at the register said she got a call from HQ at 5:30 am to raise the prices.; 2/28/26, 3:12 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: "Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war."; 2/28/26, 3:13 PM
JK Brown said...: Oh, NO!.....Anyway.

If this is true, the quality of human life on earth is improved by the removal of this contaminant in the gene pool.; 2/28/26, 3:14 PM
exhelodrvr1 said...: To this point, it appears that the US portion of this is another brilliant operation by the Hegseth-led military; 2/28/26, 3:16 PM
rhhardin said...: Tousi TV has good live coverage, hosted by a witty native Iranian. He can translate videos too.; 2/28/26, 3:17 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Sorry about the bad link. Fixed; 2/28/26, 3:17 PM
bagoh20 said...: You get a regime change, and you get a regime change, and you get a regimes change....
The Oprah of international relations.; 2/28/26, 3:17 PM
Enigma said...: After the brilliance of the Israeli exploding cell phones and now this? Do not mess with Mossad! Do you hear me Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, and REDACTED?; 2/28/26, 3:18 PM
Bob Boyd said...: Jannah front desk concierge: "I'm sorry, sir, but we no longer offer a virgins allotment with the Martyr Package, but you are entitled to this lovely fruit basket and a moist towelette."; 2/28/26, 3:19 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Little did we know the name change to the 'Department of War' would later prove "proper and necessary".; 2/28/26, 3:20 PM
tcrosse said...: The Enforcer, available on YouTube, gives detailed military-style briefings or sitreps. I take Tousi's reportage with a grain of salt.; 2/28/26, 3:23 PM
mccullough said...: My condolences to the Democrats; 2/28/26, 3:24 PM
Skeptical Voter said...: It would appear that the Iranian Great Satan has suffered some disassembly. His head was found 40 yards from his feet--or something like that. To apply a little more pressure on Iran, there is a report that the power plant at Kharg Island has been bombed and put out of commission. With no power on the island, there's no way to load Iranian crude into tankers for shipment overseas. And a major source of revenue for Iran is shut down (at least until the power plant is repaired) Of course if the power plant is repaired, rinse and repeat.; 2/28/26, 3:24 PM
Kevin said...: Ding, dong! Avon calling.; 2/28/26, 3:25 PM
Iman said...: Knock knock

Khamenei: Who’s there?

Rama

Kamenei: Rama who?

RamaDON

Khamenei: Who?

RamaDON dingdong, muthafuckah!!!!!!!; 2/28/26, 3:26 PM
Clyde said...: Brings to mind the old Hitler joke, where he goes to a psychic and asks when he's going to die. The psychic tells him that he'll die on a Jewish holiday. "Which one?" Hitler asks. "Whenever you die, that will be a Jewish holiday," the psychic replies. I think the same thing applies to Khamanei.

Just to add, a lot of bad people are going to have 2/28/2026 on their tombstones.; 2/28/26, 3:28 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: "Yes, Ramadan 2026 is currently being observed."

Oh no... Everybody knows you don't go to war during Ramadan.; 2/28/26, 3:29 PM
Maynard said...: Dave Begley

There are quite a few Mossad assets in Iran. We underestimate how good the Mossad is at human intelligence.; 2/28/26, 3:30 PM
Greg The Class Traitor said...: I am Gen X
I remember the Iranian attack on the US Embassy, holding US diplomat hostage

Trump isn't starting a war with Iran, he's finishing it.

We need not boots on ground, we simply need to kill anyone fighting to keep the Iranian gov't in power, and keep on doing so until the people of Iran have taken over

Then we negotiate peace; 2/28/26, 3:30 PM
rhhardin said...: There seems to be a Crown Prince return movement, as the easiest way to get near-unity. I'd suppose it has its own dangers but not immediate ones.; 2/28/26, 3:33 PM
Greg The Class Traitor said...: I am reading reports on Twitter that the Iranian Navy is all decorating the bottom of the ocean.

"Defeat Into Victory", by General Slim, makes this important point: never believe initial reports. nothing is as good, or as bad, as they say.

So I don't actually believe that the entire Iranian Navy has been sunk.

Yet

But the reports are out there; 2/28/26, 3:34 PM
Koot Katmandu said...: I hope the Iranian people seize the moment; 2/28/26, 3:40 PM
rhhardin said...: So many celebrations that it's going to be hard to suppress it if the old guard manages to hang on.; 2/28/26, 3:42 PM
Beasts of England said...: Excellent news, if true.; 2/28/26, 3:46 PM
Eva Marie said...: Oh no! The Palestinian Authority is condemning the Iranian government. Democrats hardest hit.; 2/28/26, 3:46 PM
rhhardin said...: Ayatollah's best friend is in charge, supposedly.; 2/28/26, 3:47 PM
The Mouse that Roared said...: Today is the 11th day of the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.
Cannot be a coincidence.; 2/28/26, 3:51 PM
Not an oldster. said...: USA USA USA

Who in America breaking out there best Scotch tonight...?
"We got him, baby. We WON! It's all good now👍 "

Go ride your new pony to celebrate?
You're not a jew, but jew adjacent... you earrrrned this win, baby! Celebrate good times tonight!; 2/28/26, 3:51 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: “Yes, fasting is the central practice of Ramadan. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all healthy, able-bodied adult Muslims.”

That Pete Hegseth is a wicked wicked man. Fighting a half starved military. Brilliantly executed.; 2/28/26, 3:52 PM
Beasts of England said...: Trump kills another austere religious scholar.; 2/28/26, 3:54 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: Waiting for someone to repost Trump's 2012 (IIRC) tweet about how Obama was gonna start a war to boost his re-election prospects.

What matters is how the war ends — and Trump is not likely to manage the long-term regional mess that he is creating.; 2/28/26, 3:54 PM
Beasts of England said...: ’…and Trump is not likely to manage the long-term regional mess that he is creating.’

Trump is the President of the U.S., so he’s not gonna manage any of that (alleged without proof or argument) regional mess.; 2/28/26, 3:59 PM
narciso said...: A revered austere scholar; 2/28/26, 4:06 PM
Jimmy said...: Good news. The evil bastard is dead. The intel really is as good as it gets, and I'm sure the next in line, and the one after that, are dead or will be soon.
A sad day for all the democrats, and the Jew haters
Yeah, so far Trumps forever wars in Cuba, Venezuela, and now Iran are just terrible to endure for the fucking commies at the NYT CNN and on this blog; 2/28/26, 4:08 PM
Original Mike said...: Someone tell Rich Trump is not up for re-election.; 2/28/26, 4:08 PM
mccullough said...: The long term regional mess has been there for 1500 years.; 2/28/26, 4:13 PM
chuck said...: I take Tousi's reportage with a grain of salt.

He's excitable, gets old fast.; 2/28/26, 4:21 PM
Achilles said...: Kakistocracy said...

Waiting for someone to repost Trump's 2012 (IIRC) tweet about how Obama was gonna start a war to boost his re-election prospects.

What matters is how the war ends — and Trump is not likely to manage the long-term regional mess that he is creating.

Because nothing changed in the last 14 years.

It is instructive that this is the best this retard can come up with.; 2/28/26, 4:21 PM
Achilles said...: In the last few months China lost 2 of it's best sources of oil.

The world is collapsing on China right now.; 2/28/26, 4:24 PM
bagoh20 said...: The Israelis have been hunting down evil SOBs for 80 years. Nobody is better at it.; 2/28/26, 4:32 PM
bagoh20 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/28/26, 4:35 PM
Dave64 said...: When this military action is over and successful and the people of Iran are free, I want the NYT editorial board, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Morning Joe, Erin Burnett, Senators Paul, Kaine and Murphy to all admit that they were wrong. And then they need to shut up about foreign policy for the rest of their natural lives. X2!; 2/28/26, 4:35 PM
bagoh20 said...: Trump thought Obama had balls, but it turns out that was Michele.
Obama was best at going after Americans, like the current President. Such an honorable man.; 2/28/26, 4:35 PM
narciso said...: But their mouths would lock shut (lets test the premise); 2/28/26, 4:37 PM
bagoh20 said...: "In the last few months China lost 2 of it's best sources of oil."

We got some. That will help that trade balance.; 2/28/26, 4:37 PM
rhhardin said...: Iran is giving a very long speech at the UN. Possibly unaware of recent developments. Celebration in the streets of Tehran for instance.; 2/28/26, 4:41 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: It was a textbook decapitation strike. Top guy taken out, along apparently with his top commanders. And their vicious paramilitary, that has brutally murdered tens of thousands of its citizens this year, to stay in power, neutered by eliminating its funding by taking out the power to Kharg Island, eliminating, for now, their oil sales. Which, was the quick way to do it. They can have oil sales back on - when we allow them to fix the power station.

I also like that Israel took the lead here. They have absorbed many thousands of Iranian missiles over the last decade, along with arming and facilitating the violent terrorists on its borders, leaving more Israeli dead. So far, far more Israelis died from Iranian arms and its surrogates, than Iranians have. Try explaining why the Israelis weren’t justified in their attack. All we did was just help our longtime ally a little bit. Maybe a little intelligence. Maybe a couple bunker buster bombs. And maybe elimination of a couple of air defense sites.; 2/28/26, 4:42 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: Are all the wars Trump has ended accounted for on a gross or net basis? Or does count them like a gambler counts winning hands, but not losers.; 2/28/26, 4:44 PM
rhhardin said...: Can't skip to the end. It's live.; 2/28/26, 4:44 PM
narciso said...: Trump and Israel Accused of Bombing Girls’ Elementary School in Iran; AP Reports Death Toll of 85 – Twitchy https://share.google/k1yeVw2l1k07Ys66C; 2/28/26, 4:49 PM
Jimmy said...: Obama, and most of the left just lost their spiritual leader. So Sad. All that money, all those years sucking off the Ayatollah. For nothing.; 2/28/26, 4:52 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: Netanyahu goads Trump into war by claiming that he has killed far more civilians than Trump has.; 2/28/26, 4:53 PM
Indefinitely Extended Excursion™️ said...: Whatever Trump’s spin was before, it’s a regime change war now.; 2/28/26, 4:55 PM
Original Mike said...: Isn't it amazing that it's always a school or a hospital that gets bombed? What are the odds?; 2/28/26, 5:00 PM
Beasts of England said...: Sorry for your loss, Kak. Best wishes to you during mourning…; 2/28/26, 5:00 PM
Rabel said...: Bruce Hayden, I have to question you minimalist evaluation of the US effort. We'll know in a day or two,; 2/28/26, 5:02 PM
bagoh20 said...: Kak is clearly distressed with all the winning. To bad he's cheering for the wrong team. Wrong yesterday, wrong today, wrong tomorrow.; 2/28/26, 5:30 PM
bagoh20 said...: 'Iran is giving a very long speech at the UN. Possibly unaware of recent developments."

I wonder if they will go back to Iran, or run from the people they claim to represent.; 2/28/26, 5:32 PM
Greg The Class Traitor said...: Kakistocracy said...
Waiting for someone to repost Trump's 2012 (IIRC) tweet about how Obama was gonna start a war to boost his re-election prospects.

Trump will never again run for President, dumbshit; 2/28/26, 6:24 PM
Ampersand said...: One less "austere religious scholar" for the NYT to eulogize.; 2/28/26, 6:31 PM
john mosby said...: Maybe Khamenei is alive, and the claims of his death are meant to push him into a proof-of-life address, which will then give enough location info to really kill him! CC, JSM; 2/28/26, 6:45 PM
john mosby said...: Or maybe he'll walk across the street barefoot....CC, JSM; 2/28/26, 6:46 PM
James K said...: Reports are that the school was hit by a misfired Iranian missile.; 2/28/26, 7:15 PM
Greg The Class Traitor said...: Which were the lefty losers pushing Trump Always Chickens Out? Well, children, have some more TACOs; 2/28/26, 8:25 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: “ Bruce Hayden, I have to question you minimalist evaluation of the US effort. We'll know in a day or two,”

I do too. Hence a bit of sarcasm. The US brought in another carrier, and staged at least 50 USAF planes in the region, giving at least 200 warplanes. Probably well over half were stealth aircraft. This doesn’t include long range bombers flown in from Diego Garcia and even the US for the event. Plus, of course the flotilla of flying gas stations, AWACS, etc. And, so far, no evidence of any aircraft losses.

Part of my point here was that it was politically advantageous to shift some of the responsibility from the US to Israel. Israel had more than sufficient reason to attack Iran, having lost thousands to its surrogates over the decades. The US? Not so much. Esp after striking Venezuela, shutting off the oil to Cuba, and helping the Mexicans against cartels, all in the last couple months.; 3/1/26, 4:52 AM