Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei Faces Isolation as Israeli Strikes Decimate Iran’s Inner Circle. At 86, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is confronting perhaps the most perilous moment of his decades-long reign. A sustained and deadly series of Israeli airstrikes has shattered the upper echelons of his inner military circle, killing many of his most trusted advisers. With the Islamic Republic's power structure thrown into disarray, Khamenei appears increasingly isolated, his leadership more vulnerable than ever.