Iran war moved up to catch Khamenei during meeting with top aides – report

The IDF carried out the airstrike eliminating Iran’s supreme leader in an attack that used 30 bomb on the ayatollah’s residence while he met with top security officials.

By World Israel News Staff

The US and Israel timed their attack on Iran on Saturday morning to take advantage of intelligence suggesting that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would be at his residential estate for meetings with senior officials.

According to a report published by The Wall Street Journal on Saturday night, in the weeks leading up to the attack, the US and Israel were coordinating their attack plans and sharing secret intelligence information.

The meeting, which had initially been identified by the US, was originally slated to take place Saturday evening, Reuters reported, leading the US and Israel to prepare for a nighttime strike at the beginning of the war.

However, shortly before the attack, Israeli intelligence revealed that the gathering at Khamenei’s residence had been rescheduled for Saturday morning.

Despite the loss of nighttime cover, the US and Israel decided to move their planned attack on Iran forward, hoping that the daytime strikes would catch Iran off guard.

While the strikes on Iran were conducted by both American and Israeli warplanes, the aerial bombing attack on Khamenei’s residence was carried out by the Israel Air Force, the IDF announced Sunday morning.

“The IDF spokesperson announces that yesterday (Saturday), February 28, 2026, the IDF eliminated Ali Khamenei, leader of the Iranian terror regime,” the Israeli military said.

“The Air Force, with precise intelligence guidance from the Intelligence Directorate and in cooperation with the Operations Directorate, struck the leadership compound in the heart of Tehran, where he was staying together with other senior officials.”

Israeli fighter jets dropped 30 bombs on Khamenei’s home during the attack, killing not only the ayatollah but also Ali Shamkhani, a senior security official and adviser to the supreme leader; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Mohammad Pakpour; and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.

Several members of Khamenei’s family were also killed, according to Iranian media, including a daughter, granddaughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law.