Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stayed out of public view for nearly two weeks—reportedly hiding in an underground bunker near Tehran in the town of Lavizan with family and top guards—during the 12-day conflict with Israel that began on June 13 2025. Israeli officials believe he went into “very great depths” to avoid being targeted in airstrikes, and Iran’s elite Vali-ye Amr unit reportedly managed his security and communications while he remained underground en.wikipedia.org+3hindustantimes.com+3livemint.com+3.

Khamenei resurfaced on June 26 in a prerecorded televised statement—their first since the ceasefire—claiming Iran “delivered a slap to America’s face,” downplaying the damage to nuclear sites, and warning the U.S. and Israel against future attacks hindustantimes.com+5the-journal.com+5economictimes.indiatimes.com+5. His disappearance fueled speculation about his health, regime control, and whether internal leaders sidelined him during critical strategic decisions