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Defence Minister said the strategic objective was set during a confidential meeting held in November. “We had a very confidential meeting with the Prime Minister, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set the goal of eliminating Khamenei,” he said.
Israel planned Khamenei’s elimination months ago
Tel Aviv: Israel had decided months in advance to eliminate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to a major revelation by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. The decision, he said, was taken during a high-level security meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late last year.
Decision Taken in High-Level Security Meeting
Defence Minister said the strategic objective was set during a confidential meeting held in November. “We had a very confidential meeting with the Prime Minister, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set the goal of eliminating Khamenei,” he said.
According to the report, the mission was initially planned to be completed about six months later, around mid-2026.
Deadline Extended Due to Unrest in Iran
The report added that the timeline for the operation was later extended because of domestic unrest in Iran. Israel reportedly shared elements of the strategy with Washington and accelerated the plan around January.
Katz said the change in timing was driven by concerns that the Iranian leadership, already under internal pressure, might launch attacks against Israeli or American assets in West Asia.
Operation ‘Roaring Lion’ and ‘Epic Fury’
Khamenei was reportedly killed in the early hours of a coordinated military campaign named Operation Roaring Lion and Epic Fury, which began on Saturday. The strike marked a rare and unprecedented moment, as it involved the killing of a top leader of a sovereign nation in an airstrike.
Israel said the operations were aimed at neutralising what it described as an “existential threat” posed by Iran’s ballistic missile programme and nuclear ambitions, while also creating conditions for potential regime change.
Israel Intensifies Airstrikes on Iran
Following the strike, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intensified its military campaign across Iran. On Thursday, the IDF said it had carried out its 12th wave of airstrikes in Tehran, targeting key security and military infrastructure.
Special Unit Headquarters in Alborz Targeted
Among the high-priority targets was the headquarters of a special unit in Iran’s Alborz province responsible for coordinating internal security forces. The Israel Air Force (IAF) said the strikes also hit bases belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij paramilitary force.
In a series of posts on X, the IDF stated that the Alborz headquarters directs multiple special units across the region and plays a key role in coordinating the regime’s armed forces.
The IAF also struck a central command centre used by Iran’s internal security forces, along with dozens of facilities allegedly used for weapons storage and production.
“The IDF is deepening its impact on all mechanisms of the Iranian terrorist regime in Tehran,” the Israeli military said.
