Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz revealed on Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had convened a 'very small forum' as early as November 2025 to plan the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei was killed on February 28 after Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iran.
According to Defence Minister Katz, the operation was accelerated in response to massive domestic protests in Iran. The resulting instability paved the way for the US and Israel to execute their coordinated strikes ahead of schedule.
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A select group of officials held talks with Netanyahu in November 2025 on the possibility of assassinating Khamenei, Katz told Channel 12.
Later, an operation targeting Khamenei was planned for mid-2026, possibly in June. He also pointed out that the initial planning did not involve the US.
We were operating under the assumption that we might have to carry the assassination out on our own, he added.
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As Iran descended into instability, the state’s response was lethal. While thousands were confirmed killed by security forces, human rights groups fear the true casualty count has reached tens of thousands during the height of the unrest.
Driven by fears of a pre-emptive Iranian attack, the US and Israel accelerated their operations to capitalise on the regime's domestic instability. The ongoing protests provided the strategic opening needed to strike before Tehran could act.
Amid the unrest, discussions of removing the Iranian leadership also began between Washington and Jerusalem. Soon, the coordination between the two allies expanded, and it led to joint planning.
Katz outlined a comprehensive strategy to strip the Iranian regime of its military power, stating that the goal is to ensure it can never return to nuclear development, mass missile production, or the sponsorship of proxy wars against Israel.
