Israel Planned and Accelerated Assassination of Iran's Khamenei in 2025-26

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz revealed that the decision to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was made in November 2025 during a confidential meeting led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Originally planned for mid-2026, the operation was accelerated to February 2026 amid widespread protests in Iran and concerns over potential Iranian attacks on Israeli and US assets. The strike, conducted jointly by Israel and the US, killed Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials, marking the first airstrike assassination of a sitting head of state. Israel justified the action as a response to Iran's nuclear and missile programs and described it as compliant with international law. The Israel Defence Forces have since intensified airstrikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure.