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| Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz | Photo: Reuters |
During the recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, the Israeli government had reportedly planned to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The explosive revelation came from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in an interview on Thursday.
Speaking to Israel’s Channel 13, Katz admitted, "We wanted to eliminate Khamenei, but the right opportunity never presented itself."
According to Katz, Khamenei was aware of the potential threat against him and went into hiding deep underground, cutting off contact even with newly appointed military commanders within Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Although Khamenei issued several video messages during the war, there’s no verified evidence, as reported by Al Jazeera, to confirm claims that he severed communication with his generals. Military analysts believe that had Khamenei been killed, the conflict could have escalated dramatically, not only as Iran’s de facto leader but also as the spiritual head of millions of Shia Muslims worldwide.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously suggested that the conflict could pave the way for regime change in Iran. Trump even posted on social media last Sunday, claiming that the conflict could help "Make Iran Great Again."
Meanwhile, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the extent of damage caused by U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, particularly in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. In response, Ayatollah Khamenei accused the United States of exaggerating the level of destruction.
Katz further warned that if Iran resumed its nuclear program, Israel was prepared to launch fresh strikes, a move that Trump had already endorsed. Katz added, "I don't see a situation where Iran could successfully rebuild its nuclear sites."
In a related development, Netanyahu declared yesterday that the war's outcome had opened new diplomatic opportunities with Arab nations. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire ultimately ended the fighting after Iran had retaliated against a U.S. airstrike by launching missiles at the Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar, which houses American forces.
In a televised address, Netanyahu stated, "We fought Iran with strength and achieved a major victory. This triumph paves the way for expanding our peace agreements." Observers believe he referred to the Abraham Accords of 2020, establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab nations.
However, Iran also claimed victory after the ceasefire. Tehran insisted that Israel’s initial goals — dismantling Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs — had failed. Iranian officials further claimed their retaliatory missile strikes forced Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire due to extensive damage within Israel.