Covert Intelligence Operations
For several months, U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies, including the CIA, had been closely monitoring Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeking the right moment to act.
They studied his daily activities—his residence, meetings, communication methods, and potential safe havens during an attack, according to five sources familiar with the situation. They also monitored Iran’s senior leadership, who seldom appeared together with Khamenei, the nation’s leader for nearly four decades.
They discovered an opportunity when top Iranian officials, including Khamenei, planned a Saturday meeting at various locations within a Tehran compound housing the ayatollah’s offices, the presidency, and the national security apparatus.
Launching the Operation
An Israeli source noted that the cautious Khamenei felt less threatened during daylight, leading him to lower his defenses.
This presented an opportunity that some U.S. and Israeli officials believed was too good to ignore. Plans for a nighttime attack transitioned into preparations for a daytime assault.
On Saturday, Israeli warplanes struck the compound at around 6 a.m. Israel time, initiating a precise and coordinated series of strikes by both the U.S. and Israel. With advanced munitions, all three sites hosting the various leaders were targeted simultaneously.
Aftermath and Responses
Hours afterward, Trump confirmed Khamenei’s death, stating that he had been unable to evade U.S. intelligence and sophisticated tracking systems.
The reasons behind the gathering of Iran’s senior leaders at the same location during a period of increased military pressure from the U.S. remain unclear.
Regardless of the uncertainties that followed, the operation highlighted the depth of U.S. and Israeli intelligence in Iran and their readiness to act when a chance arose.
