Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed that Tel Aviv had intended to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the recent 12-day conflict, but the opportunity did not present itself.
Speaking to Israel’s Channel 13, Katz said the plan to target Khamenei was hindered by the supreme leader’s decision to go “underground to very great depths”, a move he said severed Khamenei’s direct communication with commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Iranian leadership, however, has maintained that Khamenei remained actively engaged throughout the conflict.
“We wanted to eliminate Khamenei, but there was no operational opportunity,” Katz said. He dismissed reports that the United States had blocked the assassination, insisting that Israel “would not have needed permission” to act.
The remarks mark a sharp escalation in rhetoric and underline the depth of Israeli planning during the hostilities, which ended earlier this week following a US-brokered ceasefire.
Targeting Khamenei would have represented a significant escalation, as the 85-year-old cleric is not only Iran’s highest political authority but also a key spiritual figure for millions of Shia Muslims worldwide.
Katz’s statements come amid uncertainty over the damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, with conflicting reports from Israeli and US intelligence agencies. The recent joint strikes on facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan have reportedly dealt a blow to Iran’s enrichment capabilities, but Iranian officials have dismissed such claims as exaggerated.
On Thursday, Khamenei downplayed the impact of the air raids, stating that “the Americans have greatly exaggerated the extent of the damage” and vowed to “continue the resistance.”
Meanwhile, Katz said Israel had received a “green light” from former US President Donald Trump to launch future strikes if Iran is found to be advancing its nuclear programme.
“I do not see a situation where Iran will restore the nuclear facilities after the attack,” the Israeli minister said.
Iran’s atomic energy agency has yet to comment on the matter, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reportedly increased its monitoring activity in the region.
In a separate address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded what he described as a “great victory” over Iran, asserting that the conflict had opened a “window of opportunity” to expand diplomatic ties with Arab countries.
“This victory opens the path to dramatically enlarge the peace accords,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, referencing the Abraham Accords signed in 2020, which normalised Israel’s relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other Arab nations.
The 12-day war, marked by high-intensity air raids and missile attacks, concluded after Iran retaliated against American airstrikes with a ballistic missile attack targeting the US-operated Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The ceasefire, brokered by Washington, came into effect following intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy aimed at preventing a broader regional escalation.
