The Israeli government recently revealed that it had approved a plan for assassinating Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei several months before a series of violent conflicts began to erupt and escalate in the region. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that this decision had been made during a Classified Meeting of top Israeli military and political leaders on December 16, 2025.
On January 2, Katz disclosed this information to the Jerusalem Post, where he explained that an earlier proposal to target Khamenei was first authorized by Netanyahu in November 2025 at an exclusive meeting of a small group of military and government leaders. The plan was originally thought to be executed around June 2026, but accelerating changes within Iran created a need for an expedited timetable.
Political unrest in Iran pushed the operation forward
Israeli officials indicated that widespread anti-regime protests throughout much of Iran during later parts of 2025 and early parts of 2026 provided no clear indication to Israeli officials when or if the Iranian regime would collapse.
Consequently, both Israeli and American officials had to rethink their timetable, especially out of fear that Iran could possibly conduct pre-emptive military operations against either an Israeli or an American target in the region.
Israeli leaders concluded that if they delayed the operation any longer, Iran could continue to improve its defensive capabilities or escalate its nuclear programme. As a result, preparations for the strike were accelerated.
The attack, however, occurred at the beginning of a massive air operation involving both Israel and the United States. The first wave consisted of several attacks and resulted in the death of Ali Khamenei.
The attack represented a significant and unprecedented development in the advancement of modern warfare, as a sitting head of state had just been killed in a direct military attack.
Initial planning excluded the United States
Additionally, Mr Katz provided evidence that Israel had initially intended for the attack not to involve direct United States participation.
According to Mr Katz, at the very outset of the planning process, no cooperation or consultation occurred between the United States and the Israeli government.
Once tensions began to escalate and the possibility of a larger regional conflict began to rise, Israeli and American officials began collaborating on their plans.
At that time, there was an increase in the scope of the discussions. They began to expand into more extensive strategic objectives beyond just Iran’s nuclear programme, such as limiting Iran’s missile capability and preventing an increase in their nuclear programme.
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A turning point in the Iran-Israel conflict
The assassination has caused a dramatic escalation in regional tensions. Iran has retaliated with numerous missile and drone strikes against several nations that host US personnel, as well as against nations that host US allied military infrastructure.
Israeli officials continue to view this operation as part of a long-range strategic effort designed to neutralize what they consider to be an existential threat posed by Iran’s military and nuclear ambitions.
According to analysts, the fact that the operation was planned several months in advance implies that the current hostilities are not simply an immediate response to the most recent events but rather are the culmination of a long-planned strategy.
As the conflict continues to escalate with retaliatory strikes being conducted throughout the region, the ramifications of this decision are reshaping the geopolitical fabric of the Middle East.
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