Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli air strike in Tehran on Saturday after intelligence agencies tracked his movements and confirmed his presence at a leadership meeting near Pasteur Street.
The strike followed years of surveillance and months of operational planning, according to reports. Intelligence agencies from Israel and the United States gathered detailed information on the compound, its security structure, and the movements of senior Iranian officials. The operation was reportedly advanced after confirmation that Khamenei would be present at his office on Saturday morning, as per NDTV.
How Khamenei was tracked
According to a Financial Times report, nearly all traffic cameras in Tehran had been hacked over several years. One camera near Pasteur Street gave a clear angle into part of the heavily guarded compound.
Intelligence agencies used complex algorithms to analyse footage and other data. Security personnel were profiled in detail, including their home addresses, work hours, travel routes, and the officials they were assigned to protect. This helped build what officers describe as a "pattern of life".
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Israeli intelligence also disrupted components of mobile phone towers near the compound. Phones appeared busy when called, limiting communication within Khamenei's protection detail.
Crucially, the CIA reportedly confirmed that Khamenei would attend a meeting at the compound that morning. A human source provided specific information about his presence, creating a narrow operational window, NDTV reported.
How the strike was carried out
Once the meeting was confirmed, the operation proceeded. US cyber operations reportedly disrupted Iran's ability to detect or respond to the attack.
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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said about 200 fighter jets targeted roughly 500 objectives. Missiles described as capable of hitting small targets from long range were used in the strike, NDTV reported.
Iranian state television confirmed Khamenei's death early Sunday.
