The US and Israeli attack on Iran was originally planned to begin at night. But plans were changed when the US intelligence agency, the CIA, which had been tracking Ayatollah Khamenei's movements for months, received new credible information shortly before, writes the New York Times.
According to reports, a meeting with senior Iranian officials was to be held in Tehran on Saturday morning. And the country's supreme leader, Khamenei, was also to be in the same building complex.
Hit
The CIA forwarded the information to Israel, which concluded that Revolutionary Guard commander Mohammad Pakpour and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzade, among others, would also attend the meeting in the building complex in central Tehran, where the presidential office and the National Security Council, among others, have their offices.
Israeli fighter jets took off from their bases in Israel at 6 a.m. Saturday. According to New York Times sources briefed on the operation, relatively few aircraft equipped with long-range, high-precision missiles were needed for the strike.
Around 9:40 a.m. (local time), the missiles hit Tehran, where Khamenei was reportedly in one building in the complex and senior military leaders in another.
Failed protection
The fact that the US and Israel managed to knock out Khamenei directly in the initial attack shows, according to the New York Times, what in-depth intelligence the two countries have managed to acquire about the Iranian leadership, and also how it failed to protect itself despite the US being clear that it was planning for war.
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday evening, local time in Sweden, that Khamenei was dead. A few hours later, this was also confirmed by Iranian authorities. 40 days of national mourning have been declared in Iran.
Khamenei “carried out his duties and was at his workplace,” Iranian state media reported, according to Reuters . Khamenei's daughter, his son-in-law and his grandson were also reportedly killed in the attacks.
Iranian media also confirm that Revolutionary Guard commander Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and Army Chief Abdolrahim Mousavi have been killed.
