Israeli intelligence operatives hacked nearly every traffic camera in Tehran for years to monitor the movements of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a report by the Financial Times. The surveillance campaign, described as unprecedented in scope, allowed Israeli spies to track the supreme leader's security detail and establish their 'pattern of life'.
The hacked cameras, including those focused on Khamenei's personal compound, transmitted encrypted real-time data to servers in Tel Aviv and southern Israel. One current Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times: 'We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem. And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing that’s out of place.'
The plan to kill the Ayatollah had been in place for months and was adjusted when it emerged that Khamenei would attend a meeting in person at his home. On the day of the assassination, the hacked traffic cameras confirmed that the meeting was running on time. The Israeli military said the strikes were carried out during the day to achieve tactical surprise.
Mobile phone and communications networks were disrupted to leave Iran 'dazed and confused', according to General Dan Caine, the chief of joint staffs. He said: 'Coordinated space and cyber operations effectively disrupted communications and sensor networks across the area of responsibility, leaving the adversary without the ability to see, coordinate, or respond effectively.'
President Donald Trump told Fox News that the Iranian leader 'was eliminated along with his inner circle as they gathered for breakfast'. US officials said there were no signs Iran would attack first, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted the US launched strikes preemptively after learning of Israel's planned action, to prevent higher casualties among American forces.
