Israeli Minister Confirms Plot to Kill Iran’s Supreme Leader

News Desk

Islamabad: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has revealed that Tel Aviv had planned to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the recent 12-day conflict, but the opportunity never arose.

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 13, Katz claimed the operation was thwarted by Khamenei’s decision to go “deep underground,” which he said disrupted the Supreme Leader’s direct communication with commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Despite this, Iranian officials maintain that Khamenei remained actively involved throughout the hostilities.

“We intended to eliminate Khamenei, but there was no operational window,” Katz said, rejecting suggestions that the United States had blocked the attempt. He insisted Israel “didn’t need anyone’s permission” to carry out such a strike.

These comments represent a significant escalation in rhetoric and highlight the extent of Israeli planning during the recent conflict, which ended earlier this week following a US-brokered ceasefire.

An attack on Khamenei would have marked a dramatic escalation, given his status not only as Iran’s highest political authority but also as a deeply influential religious figure for millions of Shia Muslims around the world.

Katz’s remarks come amid conflicting intelligence reports about the damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Joint US-Israeli strikes reportedly targeted key facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, with claims of significant disruption to Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities. Iranian officials, however, have dismissed these reports as exaggerated.

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On Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei downplayed the damage from the air raids, accusing the US of overstating their impact and reaffirming Iran’s commitment to “continue the resistance.”

Katz also claimed that Israel had received prior approval from former US President Donald Trump to conduct future strikes if Iran resumed nuclear activities.

“I don’t see a scenario in which Iran rebuilds its nuclear facilities after what we’ve done,” Katz added.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization has not yet commented, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reportedly increased surveillance in the region.

In a separate statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the outcome of the conflict as a “great victory” and said it could lead to a wider expansion of diplomatic ties with Arab nations.

“This victory opens the way to significantly grow the peace accords,” Netanyahu stated in a video message, referring to the Abraham Accords that normalised Israel’s relations with several Arab states, including the UAE and Bahrain.

The 12-day conflict, marked by intense missile and air strikes, ended after Iran retaliated against US air raids with a ballistic missile strike on the American-operated Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The ceasefire, mediated by Washington, followed intense diplomatic efforts aimed at avoiding a wider regional war.