Maariv: Details of Khamenei’s assassination

The Israeli Maariv newspaper revealed on Sunday the details of the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, considering that the circumstances of the operation “will shock public opinion” when it is revealed, and that Khamenei made the same mistake as Hassan Nasrallah.

According to Maariv, Khamenei didn’t grasp the magnitude of the transformation that Israel witnessed after the events of October 7, and didn’t expect him to become a direct target.

It added that the publication of a photo of his body – if true – would represent an unprecedented development, as it described it, noting that what it called a “strategic shift” has put Iran in a difficult defensive position, with the influence of its allies declining and pressure mounting on it.

The details of what happened on Saturday, in addition to the developments expected in the coming days, won’t be fully clarified until later, she said, stressing that the disclosure will show, according to Maariv newspaper, the level of Israeli intelligence work and its accuracy in carrying out operations thousands of kilometers away from Israel.

Maariv report also noted that the Israeli and US strikes, in their initial phase, focused on three main objectives:

• Targeting prominent military and political leaders, most notably Khamenei and senior officials in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
• Striking missile infrastructure, including launch sites, tunnels, and associated transportation systems.
• Securing the flight paths of the Israeli and US air forces toward Tehran, while undermining Iran’s air defense capabilities and surveillance and command and control systems.

These goals have largely been achieved, while acknowledging that Iran still possesses missile capabilities, but has declined significantly, according to its assessment.

At the same time, Maariv stressed that the scene hasn’t yet been decided, and that the next phase may carry additional developments in light of the continued escalation.