'We Wanted to Kill Khamenei': Israel's Defence Minister Confirms Assassination Plan, Says No Need for US Approval

New Delhi: Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has publicly confirmed that the country had a plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the recent Iran-Israel conflict, but the plan was dropped after Khamenei went into hiding deep underground. 

'We Searched a Lot'

Speaking on Israel’s news broadcaster, Katz said, “If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out. We searched a lot.”

He claimed that Israel’s intelligence agencies were actively looking for a window to strike, but they couldn't locate Khamenei in time.

Khamenei Went Underground

According to Katz, once Khamenei realised the danger, he disappeared from public view and cut off contact with top Iranian military commanders.

“Khamenei understood this, went very deep underground, broke off contact with the commanders… so in the end it wasn’t realistic,” Katz told Kan TV.

This is the first time a senior Israeli official has publicly admitted to a plan targeting Iran’s top leadership during the recent escalation.

First Time Israel Names Top Target

While Israel has in the past focused on taking down nuclear infrastructure and key Revolutionary Guard figures, Katz’s statement marks the first official confirmation that Khamenei himself was considered a direct military target.

‘We don’t need US approval’

When asked about the risk of international fallout from such a move, Katz said, “We don’t need US approval.”