The assassination of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was the culmination of decades of intelligence gathering by Israeli secret services, with crucial support from the CIA and other US intelligence agencies over the last six months. The operation involved near-simultaneous strikes within 60 seconds, killing Khamenei, seven top Iranian security leaders, and about a dozen family members. Forty other senior Iranian leaders also died in the attack, which opened an air offensive by Israel and the US aimed at overthrowing the clerical regime in Tehran.
Military officials in Israel confirmed the strikes targeted multiple locations in Tehran. The timing was determined by CIA intelligence about a meeting of top Iranian officials at a leadership compound, with critical information that Khamenei would be present. Israeli spies had tracked Khamenei for years, building a detailed file on his daily routine and associates. A former CIA veteran described the process as assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle, using multi-layered data to leave no trail uncovered.
Experts and intelligence veterans have warned of potential strategic errors. Yossi Melman, an Israeli analyst, noted Israel's history of assassinations has not solved conflicts, as leaders are always replaced. Amos Yadlin, former head of Israeli military intelligence, called the strike a tactical and operational surprise, as expectations were for a night attack. Reuel Gerecht, a former CIA targeting officer, said US technological assets complemented Israeli human intelligence networks on the ground, amplifying the operation's effectiveness.
The Mossad has built deep networks in Iran over decades, enabling previous operations such as the assassination of a top nuclear scientist. Reports in Israeli media suggested that a photograph of Khamenei's remains was shown to Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, which Gerecht deemed plausible. The operation plunges the Middle East into renewed chaos, with experts questioning whether it will achieve long-term strategic goals.
