Washington (TDI): Less than 48 hours before the US-Israeli strike on Iran began, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly spoke to President Donald Trump, urging him to take advantage of a narrow intelligence window to carry out a “decapitation strike” on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and key lieutenants.
The conversation, previously unreported, came after intelligence indicated Khamenei’s security arrangements would briefly leave him and his inner circle vulnerable in Tehran, Reuters reported.
Netanyahu framed the operation as a rare opportunity to remove Iran’s top leadership, influencing Trump’s final decision to authorize the February 27 operation, which launched the first bombs on February 28. Trump announced Khamenei’s death that evening.
White House officials emphasized the strike’s broader goals, including degrading Iran’s missile and naval capabilities, disrupting proxy networks, and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Netanyahu, for his part, dismissed claims that Israel forced the US into the conflict, calling reports “fake news.”
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The US-Israeli operation followed months of planning and earlier strikes in June targeting Iranian nuclear and missile sites. Trump had initially campaigned against military intervention in Iran, favoring diplomacy, but growing concerns over Iran’s missile program, the earlier success of joint operations, and intelligence reports on Khamenei’s vulnerability prompted a reassessment.
The decision also considered the potential for regime change, though US intelligence agencies had warned that Khamenei’s removal could be followed by an even harder-line successor. Indeed, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards continue to control security, while Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, has been named the new supreme leader.
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The operation has triggered widespread regional conflict, including counterstrikes on US military assets, attacks on Gulf allies, and disruption of vital shipping routes. Civilian casualties in Iran have exceeded 2,300, while at least 13 US service members have died in the ensuing hostilities.
