CIA intelligence indicating that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would attend a high-level security meeting in Tehran reportedly guided a coordinated US-Israel strike that killed him, according to a report by The New York Times on Sunday.
Iranian state media confirmed that Khamenei was killed in missile strikes targeting a leadership compound in central Tehran early Saturday morning. The attack came amid escalating tensions, as Washington and Tel Aviv had vowed to pursue regime change in the Islamic Republic.
According to the report, US intelligence officials had tracked Khamenei’s movements for months and obtained information that a meeting of top Iranian officials was scheduled for Saturday morning at a secure compound in the capital. The original plan to strike at night was reportedly revised after the intelligence revealed the timing of the gathering.
The US is said to have shared the intelligence with Israel, which carried out the missile assault. The operation began around 6:00 a.m. local time in Israel (0400 GMT), with long-range missiles striking the compound at approximately 9:40 a.m., the newspaper reported.
Senior national security officials were gathered in one building, while Khamenei was in a nearby structure when the missiles hit. In addition to Khamenei, two senior Iranian officials were reportedly killed in the strike: Revolutionary Guards chief Mohammad Pakpour and senior security adviser Ali Shamkhani, Iran’s judiciary confirmed.
Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes across the Gulf region, with reports of attacks in Abu Dhabi and near US military bases. The developments have heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
US President Donald Trump said American military operations would continue “as long as necessary,” signaling the possibility of further escalation.
