Ali Khamenei: Backed into a corner, Iran’s ruthless leader faces fight for survival

Over several decades in power, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has built up regional proxy forces and a formidable missile arsenal with the aim of deterring precisely the kind of direct assaults being carried out by Israel. With his allies defanged and Israeli planes controlling the skies over Tehran, Iran’s supreme leader is now fighting for his survival and that of his regime, with few options left.