Israel and U.S. Coordinated Attack on Iran During Khamenei's Meeting, Sources Reveal
According to two U.S. sources and a U.S. official familiar with the matter, Israel and the United States timed their military attack on Iran on Saturday to coincide with a meeting that the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was holding with top aides. This strategic move aimed to maximize impact and surprise, as confirmed by anonymous sources who spoke on the condition of confidentiality.
Details of the Attack and Casualties
Israel reported that Khamenei was killed in the strikes, along with key lieutenants including Ali Shamkhani, the powerful former National Security Council secretary, and Mohammad Pakpour, a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Two Iranian sources informed Reuters that Khamenei had met with Shamkhani and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani at a secure location shortly before the attacks commenced.
A senior Israeli official stated that Khamenei's body had been recovered following the operation. U.S. President Donald Trump commented on his Truth Social platform, asserting that Iran's top leader was eliminated after intelligence agencies successfully tracked his movements. "He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do," Trump said.
Timing and Execution of the Strikes
The two U.S. sources and the U.S. official explained that confirmation of Khamenei's meeting with his top advisers triggered the Israeli-U.S. air and naval operation. The U.S. official emphasized that targeting Khamenei first was crucial to maintaining the element of surprise, as there were concerns he might escape into hiding if given the opportunity.
Initially, Khamenei was expected to hold the meeting on Saturday evening in Tehran. However, Israeli intelligence detected the gathering on Saturday morning, prompting the strikes to be moved forward. The exact location of the meeting remains unclear, but Khamenei's high-security compound in Tehran was struck at the beginning of the operation. Satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters confirmed that the compound had been destroyed.
Regional Impact and Intelligence Assessments
The U.S. and Israeli military strikes across Iran have plunged the Middle East into a new and unpredictable conflict, with Iran launching retaliatory attacks against Israel and nearby Gulf Arab countries. The full impact of Khamenei's death is yet to be determined, but it marks a significant escalation in regional tensions.
In a pre-attack assessment, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency concluded that Khamenei could be replaced by IRGC hardliners, according to two sources briefed on the intelligence. This potential shift adds to the uncertainty surrounding Iran's future leadership and geopolitical stance.
The reporting for this article was contributed by Jonathan Landay, Phil Stewart, Gram Slattery in Washington, and Parisa Hafezi in Dubai, with additional input from Humeyra Pamuk in Washington, Erin Banci in New York, and Mayaan Lubell in Jerusalem. Editing was handled by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman.
