Months of intelligence work preceded US-Israeli strike on Iran's top leadership
Ali Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority, was killed along with several senior defence officials in what sources described as a coordinated effort between the CIA and Israeli forces aimed at eliminating the country’s top leadership in a single operation
Months of intelligence gathering and operational planning preceded a joint US-Israeli mission that killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a strike on a compound in central Tehran, according to sources familiar with the operation.
Ali Khamenei, Iran's highest authority, was killed along with several senior defence officials in what sources described as a coordinated effort between the CIA and Israeli forces aimed at eliminating the country's top leadership in a single operation, says the BBC.
Intelligence and timing
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Sources said the mission was built on sustained surveillance, including tracking "patterns of life" through human intelligence and technical means such as telecom penetration. While a nighttime strike had been expected, the operation was launched at approximately 09:40 local time on a Saturday after intelligence confirmed that Khamenei and other senior officials were meeting at the Tehran compound.
The timing marked a shift from earlier operational assumptions and was intended to capitalize on what officials described as a narrow window of opportunity.
The strike
According to the sources, the CIA provided intelligence support, while Israeli jets carried out the strike. Aircraft dropped 30 bombs on the compound, targeting an underground bunker beneath the site where Khamenei was believed to be located.
The presence of the bunker significantly increased the scale of the operation. "Multiple munitions" were required to penetrate deep enough into the earth to ensure the target was struck effectively, the sources said. Although the bunker was not described as one of the regime's deepest facilities, the high volume of explosives was used to guarantee a successful "decapitation strike" rather than risk failure due to structural reinforcements.
Senior officials killed
In addition to Khamenei, three senior defence figures were killed in the strike: Defence Council secretary Ali Shamkhani, Defence Minister Brig Gen Aziz Nasirzadeh, and IRGC commander Gen Mohammad Pakpour, the sources said.
Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's president, survived the attack.
Retaliation and regional impact
Following the strike, Iran launched retaliatory attacks across the region, striking targets in Israel, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to the sources. An Iranian drone also reportedly crashed into a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus.
Oil prices rose amid the escalation and reported attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz, reflecting investor concerns about potential disruptions to global energy supplies.
The United Kingdom granted the United States permission to use its bases for strikes on Iranian missile sites, but said it would not join offensive actions directly, the sources said.
US oversight and public reaction
Donald Trump monitored the mission from a "makeshift war room" at Mar-a-Lago, according to the sources. He later warned that "there will likely be more" US deaths as the conflict continues.
While Iranian authorities had succession plans in place, Khamenei's death prompted public celebrations among some Iranian Americans in cities including Los Angeles and Washington, DC, even as analysts cautioned that the longer-term trajectory of the conflict remains uncertain.
The operation represents one of the most consequential direct actions against Iran's leadership in decades, underscoring the extent of coordination between Washington and Jerusalem and the risks of further escalation in the region.
