The February operation that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a decisive, opening blow in a coordinated U.S.-Israeli campaign aimed at crippling Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities.
Planning and intelligence
Officials familiar with the mission say the strike depended on months of intelligence gathering, careful deception, and a specialized missile that briefly traveled beyond the Earth’s atmosphere before descending on its target.
U.S. intelligence agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency, reportedly tracked Khamenei’s movements for months in coordination with Israeli services.
Analysts searched for a rare, predictable opportunity to reach the supreme leader because Iran’s security around him is typically elaborate and fluid.
That window appeared when intelligence indicated Khamenei would attend a high-level meeting of senior officials at a heavily guarded compound in Tehran.
The gathering presented a strategic window because multiple top figures would be in one place at a known time.
Israeli defense leadership reportedly approved the concept in late 2025 and planners continued detailed preparations until the meeting was confirmed.
Weapon and launch
The weapon used was a jet-launched ballistic missile designed to climb above the atmosphere and reenter at extreme speed along a ballistic trajectory.
At 9:40 a.m., Israeli fighter jets launched a wave of Blue Sparrow missiles toward the ayatollah’s compound in central Tehran, with reports indicating that at least 30 were fired during the strike, according to the Daily Mail.
The Blue Sparrow system, developed in Israel, reportedly has a range of roughly 1,240 miles and weighs about 1.9 tons and was originally built as a target missile but can function as an air-to-surface strike weapon.
After launch the missile accelerates upward and exits the atmosphere before following a long arc through space and descending toward its target.
During reentry the warhead travels at hypersonic speed, which makes interception extremely difficult and leaves defenders only seconds to respond.
Execution of the strike
Israeli F-15 Eagle fighter jets reportedly launched dozens of missiles as part of the package, including at least one of the space-capable ballistic weapons aimed directly at Khamenei’s compound.
A key element of the operation involved deception intended to lull Iranian defenses and suggest that tensions were temporarily easing.
Signals and actions reportedly created the impression Israeli forces might pause operations over the weekend, lowering Iranian alert levels.
The strike was instead launched early Saturday morning precisely when intelligence predicted Khamenei and senior officials would be gathered at the compound.
Electronic warfare measures were used during the attack, with reports saying communications around the complex were jammed to prevent coordination and warning.
At the moment analysts expected the leader to be present, Israeli aircraft launched the strike and multiple missiles struck the compound that served as the Supreme Leader’s headquarters.
Satellite imagery released afterward showed heavy destruction across the complex.
Aftermath and escalation
The attack killed Khamenei along with several other senior figures in Iran’s leadership structure, and Iranian state media confirmed his death shortly afterward.
Iran responded with missiles and drones targeting Israel, U.S. bases, and energy infrastructure in Gulf states, triggering immediate escalation across the region.
Meanwhile, Israel and the United States continued air operations against Iranian military facilities, missile sites, and suspected nuclear infrastructure.
Within the first days of the campaign hundreds of targets across Iran were reportedly struck as the allied campaign sought to degrade Tehran’s ability to retaliate further.
