Israel wanted to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, but failed due to...

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has revealed that the Israeli military had planned to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during the recent conflict between the two countries. However, the plan was called off after Khamenei went into hiding and could not be located. In a series of high-profile interviews on Israeli television channels — Channel 12, Channel 13, and Kan — Katz stated that Israel was actively searching for an opportunity to eliminate the Iranian leader. “If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out,” Katz told Channel 13, adding, “We searched a lot.”

This is the first time a senior Israeli official has publicly confirmed that Khamenei himself was a direct target. Until now, Israel’s focus was mainly on damaging Iran’s nuclear sites.

According to Katz, Khamenei quickly went underground and cut off communication with top Iranian military officials, making the assassination mission impossible. “Khamenei understood this and went very deep underground. In the end, it wasn't realistic,” Katz said.

During the conflict, US President Donald Trump also made remarks on social media, hinting that the US knew Khamenei’s location and could eliminate him but chose not to. He later clarified that regime change was not part of current US policy.

Katz said Israel’s aim wasn’t to remove the regime but to destabilise it during the war and pressure the Iranian leadership. He warned Khamenei to remain in hiding for his own safety, comparing him to former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike. “He should learn from Nasrallah. I recommend he do the same,” Katz said.

Following a ceasefire that began two days ago, Katz confirmed that Israel is no longer pursuing Khamenei.

Meanwhile, Ayatollah Khamenei made his first public appearance since the ceasefire. He dismissed claims that Iran’s nuclear program was damaged, calling them “exaggerated” and accusing the US of blowing events out of proportion. He claimed Iran emerged victorious, saying, “The Islamic Republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America.”