The new large-scale war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran began with the elimination of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to sources within the U.S. and Israeli intelligence services, cited by Axios, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, the opportunity to decapitate Tehran’s command structure was the decisive argument in favor of launching the large-scale operation on February 28.
Preparation for the strike lasted about two months. At the same time, Washington was engaged in negotiations with Tehran over a new nuclear deal. Officially, the diplomatic process appeared credible: meetings were held in Oman and Geneva, parameters of potential restrictions were discussed, and statements referred to “real progress.” However, by mid-February, the administration of Donald Trump had concluded that Iran was stalling. According to Axios sources, U.S. officials believed Tehran’s proposals were aimed at buying time while preserving the option to accelerate its nuclear program later. The negotiations effectively became a test: was Iran prepared to renounce uranium enrichment, limit its ballistic missile program, and scale back support for regional allies? On all these points, compromise proved impossible. At the same time, intelligence agencies reported a favorable operational window. Iran’s domestic political situation remained tense following large-scale protests in late 2025; the security apparatus was mobilized, but the governing system showed signs of strain.
According to The New York Times, U.S. intelligence had been tracking the Supreme Leader’s movements for several months, relying on an agent network established during the previous conflict. One week before the strike, it became known that Khamenei would hold a scheduled meeting on February 28 at a government complex in Tehran. Two additional meetings involving senior security officials were also planned in the capital that day.
Originally scheduled for nighttime, the attack was moved to the morning due to the meeting’s timetable. Israeli fighter jets took off around 6 a.m. Just over two hours later, at approximately 9:40 a.m. local time, long-range precision munitions struck the complex. According to The Wall Street Journal, around thirty bombs were dropped on the Supreme Leader’s residence. In addition to Khamenei, members of the senior military leadership, including officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were reportedly targeted. Israeli commanders later stated that they achieved “tactical surprise,” despite Iran anticipating possible escalation.
According to intelligence community sources, the objective of the operation was not primarily to destroy infrastructure but to paralyze decision-making. The elimination of the Supreme Leader was intended to trigger a governance shock, accelerate the succession struggle, and weaken coordination among regional structures linked to Tehran. In Washington and Jerusalem, officials hoped that the first day of the war would mark a strategic turning point.
Why strike now? According to U.S. and Israeli sources, the decision stemmed from a convergence of factors: failed negotiations, signs of acceleration in the nuclear program, increased missile production, and a unique intelligence opportunity. The window to eliminate the leader could have closed at any moment. A postponed meeting, a change of route, or a move into a secure bunker could have made the operation impossible.
