A look at Middle East figures killed by Israel in recent years

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel has killed multiple senior officials with Iran’s armed proxies like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Now Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, following a major attack by Israel and the United States, Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency said Sunday without elaborating on a cause. President Donald Trump previously announced the death, saying it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country.

The compound of the 86-year-old Khamenei was among the first targets in the attack coordinated by the U.S. and Israel. Iran’s network of proxies in the region, along with its military assets and regional influence, have been weakened in the past two years, including by last year’s 12-day war with Israel.

From Gaza to Lebanon to Iran, Israel has killed leaders with Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen, along with Iranian military leaders. Here are some of them:

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Khamenei had tried to...