Israel Planned and Accelerated Khamenei Assassination, Defence Minister Says

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 early 2026 amid widespread protests and concerns over potential Iranian attacks on Israeli and U.S. assets. The strike, carried out jointly by Israel and the U.S. in late February, marked the first airstrike killing of a sitting head of state. Following the assassination, Israel intensified airstrikes targeting Iranian military and security infrastructure in Tehran.