On February 28, 2026, the C.I.A. provided critical, "high-fidelity" intelligence that enabled Israel and the United States to carry out a massive daylight strike in Tehran, reportedly killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of top Iranian officials.

 

The C.I.A. Helped Pinpoint a Gathering of Iranian Leaders. Then Israel Struck.

On February 28, 2026, the C.I.A. provided critical, "high-fidelity" intelligence that enabled Israel and the United States to carry out a massive daylight strike in Tehran, reportedly killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of top Iranian officials.

 

The key details of the operation include:

The Intelligence: The C.I.A. had tracked Khamenei for months, establishing his patterns. They identified a rare "target of opportunity"—a Saturday morning meeting at a government compound in central Tehran where Khamenei would be present alongside senior political and military leaders.

Tactical Surprise: The U.S. and Israel originally planned to strike under the cover of darkness. However, based on the C.I.A.'s real-time intelligence, they adjusted the timing to Saturday morning, achieving "tactical surprise".

The Strike: Israeli jets dropped 30 bombs on the compound at approximately 9:40 a.m. Tehran time. The operation, part of a broader campaign codenamed "Roaring Lion" (Israel) and "Operation Epic Fury" (U.S.), involved nearly 900 strikes across 17 Iranian provinces.

 

Casualties: Along with Khamenei, several high-ranking officials were reportedly killed, including:

Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

Aziz Nasirzadeh, Defense Minister.

Mohammad Pakpour, Commander of the IRGC Ground Forces.

Mohammad Shirazi, Chief of the Supreme Leader’s Military Office.

 

President Donald Trump announced the success of the strikes on Truth Social, describing the operation as an effort to destroy Iran's nuclear and missile programs and encourage the Iranian people to "take over your government".