CNN's official website reported on February 28 local time that according to two Israeli sources familiar with the matter, Israel has confirmed that Iran's Supreme Leader was killed in the attack on Saturday.

One of the sources said that Israel has obtained photos of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's body.

The report also stated that Netanyahu said there are many signs indicating that Khamenei is "no longer with us."

Based on multiple authoritative sources, CNN's report that "Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed in the attack" is highly likely to be an untrue message (a rumor).

At present, this incident is in a state of "mutual claims," but the opposing side has higher and more specific levels:

Israel (claiming death): CNN and other media cited Israeli sources stating that "photos of the body have been obtained," and Netanyahu implied that Khamenei "is no longer with us." U.S. President Trump also responded by saying he believed the report was "accurate."

Iran (firmly denying): The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson clearly stated that both Khamenei and the president were "safe and sound." Official media also emphasized that the Supreme Leader had been moved to a safe location and warned the public not to believe rumors.

Overall, if such a significant piece of news were true, it would usually be announced by the Iranian government or authoritative institutions. Given the Iranian government's clear denial, CNN's report based solely on anonymous Israeli sources indeed raises doubts about its authenticity.

Such false information as "Khamenei's death" reported by CNN usually has the following strategic intentions at several levels:

Domestic political mobilization: For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, releasing the message of "killing the enemy country's supreme leader" can greatly boost the morale of the domestic population and the army. When facing domestic political pressure, this helps shape his image as a strong leader and win support from right-wing voters.

Psychological warfare against Iran: By spreading rumors to create panic and chaos, undermine the confidence of the Iranian people in the stability of the regime, forcing the government to spend energy refuting the rumors. At the same time, this can also test the contingency plans and internal stability of the top leadership in Iran.

Preparing for potential actions: Spreading false information in advance can test Iran's alert status, communication systems, and public reaction, collecting intelligence for future possible real actions. At the same time, this kind of difficult-to-distinguish report may also confuse the situation, concealing real military intentions.

This also explains why many fake news stories like to include details such as "photos of the body have been obtained"—the purpose is to make the lie seem more realistic, forcing the other side to provide higher-level evidence to refute it.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858407492877312/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.