Defence Minister Reveals Intentions to Kill Iran’s Supreme Leader

He claimed that Khamenei knew an attempt on his life was likely and went "underground to very great depths", breaking off contact with commanders who replaced Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders assassinated in the first wave of Israeli strikes.

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Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has revealed that his country had considered killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the recent 12-day war between the two sides. In an interview with Israel’s Channel 13, Katz said, “We wanted to eliminate Khamenei, but there was no operational opportunity.”

He claimed that Khamenei knew an attempt on his life was likely and went “underground to very great depths”, breaking off contact with commanders who replaced Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders assassinated in the first wave of Israeli strikes.

Katz’s comments came amid conflicting reports on the extent of destruction wrought on Iran’s nuclear capability, primarily due to US bombing of sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The Israeli defence minister said that his country has a “green light” from US President Donald Trump to launch another attack on Iran if it were deemed to be making “progress” with its nuclear programme. “I do not see a situation where Iran will restore the nuclear facilities after the attack,” he said.

Khamenei released video messages during the war, and there is no evidence to confirm that he was cut off from his generals. Killing Khamenei would have been a major escalation in the conflict, given his role as the de facto head of state in Iran and top spiritual authority for millions of Shia Muslims worldwide.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump had both suggested that the war could spark regime change, with Trump posting on social media that the conflict could “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN”.

Netanyahu said the outcome of the war presented a “window of opportunity” for further formal diplomatic agreements with Arab states. “We have fought with determination against Iran and achieved a great victory. This victory opens the path to dramatically enlarge the peace accords,” Netanyahu said in a video address, referencing the Abraham Accords.

The conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire after Iran responded to US strikes with a missile attack on Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base, housing US troops. Iran declared victory, saying it thwarted Israeli objectives, including ending Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, and forced Netanyahu to end the assault with missile strikes that left widespread destruction in Israel.

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