Don’t agree with his statement about Khamenei not knowing. He’s a big crook too.
There is a lot of chatter on social media that K is gone, but that is natural in this situation.
I don’t know how aware Khamenei is about the total level of corruption and bribing as described here about today, but he certainly knew how to use money for power himself.
Years ago I read about how he developed his own personal guard service. Paying them well, providing superior housing for the guards and family. He certainly knew how to put his control of money to work. Perhaps the whole system has exploded beyond his current comprehension, but he was no shrinking violet in the beginning. If in fact he has been shocked by the level of knowledge and power held by Israel forces, it may indeed have been enough to kill him, or at least put him in a very real sick bed. He and I are the same age, and I try to imagine how I might feel in that situation, and what kind of shock to my system it would be.