Details of the 'Golden Information': How Did Israel Assassinate 40 Iranian Leaders and the Supreme Leader in 40 Seconds?

Hebrew press sources revealed dangerous intelligence details about Israel's success in carrying out a widespread assassination operation that targeted 40 Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in just 40 seconds. Intelligence analyst Ronen Bergman explained that the operation relied on exploiting a state of security relaxation on the Iranian side, which enabled Israeli aircraft to surprise decision-making centers at a critical moment.

According to the report published in the supplement of the 'Yedioth Ahronoth' newspaper, the joint planning between Tel Aviv and Washington stipulated that the attack would begin on the evening of Saturday, February 28, 2026. However, the arrival of intelligence information indicating that the meeting of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council had been moved forward prompted the military leadership to advance the strike by 12 hours to ensure all targets were hit in one location.

Bergman pointed out that the 'golden information' that changed the course of the operation was the detection of Ali Khamenei's presence inside his personal home, not in his fortified bunker. This information reached military intelligence shortly before the planes took off, leading to the inclusion of his home and military office among the immediate targets for the first strike.

In this attack, the Israeli Air Force used advanced and secret 'Rocks' ballistic missiles, characterized by their ability to be launched from long distances via 'F-15' aircraft. The use of this type of weapon aimed to maintain the element of absolute surprise and prevent Iranian radars from detecting the attack seconds before it occurred.

Strikes focused on the fortified 'Baster' area in Tehran, where the leaders of the security agencies were supposed to gather for their weekly meeting. Sources reported that the purpose of bombing the building at that time was to create widespread chaos in the Iranian leadership structure, thereby depriving the regime of the ability to make a quick decision for a military response.

The Israeli narrative indicates that luck played a significant role when intelligence learned of a parallel meeting of Iranian military intelligence chiefs at an adjacent location. Accordingly, the bombing plan was adjusted to include all contiguous sites, allowing for the elimination of dozens of officials in one precisely coordinated strike.

According to the report, Israeli aircraft launched about 30 missiles towards the Supreme Leader's home and military headquarters, completely destroying them. Sources claimed that Khamenei remained in his home despite warnings due to his desire to deny accusations of hiding, which the report described as 'arrogance' that led to the bloody end.

Bergman revealed that Khamenei was a target for assassination in a previous confrontation in June, but the US administration under Donald Trump opposed the move at the time. Washington feared that killing the Supreme Leader would prolong the war, betting that tactical strikes might force Tehran to return to the negotiating table with new conditions.

The report also quoted informed security sources as saying that the Israeli military establishment was aware of the falsity of political statements that claimed to have previously destroyed the Iranian nuclear project. The sources confirmed that the June strike was a limited tactical success and did not end the real threat, making the second round of the war a strategic necessity from Netanyahu's perspective.

Iranians learned lessons from previous confrontations, focusing on strengthening their missile capabilities after the effectiveness of their proxies in the region declined. Iranian planning was heading towards accelerating uranium enrichment to reach the brink of a nuclear weapon, which prompted Israel to prepare a comprehensive military plan that included 'cutting off the snake's head' as a first option.

Despite Iran's attempts to close intelligence gaps, Israel succeeded in penetrating the inner circles of leaders by tracking the personal guards' phones. Although officials stopped using mobile phones, long-planted espionage devices continued to operate efficiently within sovereign headquarters in the heart of Tehran.

The Israeli military plan included several stages, beginning with major political and military assassinations to clear the atmosphere of any organized reaction. This was followed by a phase of destroying defensive systems, then 200 aircraft took off to hunt ballistic missile platforms in the western regions of Iran to ensure the protection of the Israeli home front.

Israeli experts involved in the planning concluded that destroying the 'underground city' beneath Tehran would require immense firepower and the use of special gases. The plan called for simultaneous bombing by 50 aircraft to demolish fortifications above those inside, with a focus on causing structural collapses that would prevent survivors from escaping or communicating with military units.

In conclusion, the report believes that the success of the operation is due to a combination of advanced technology and accurate human intelligence, coupled with clear Iranian misjudgment. While the world awaited war, the supreme leadership remained above ground in known locations, making them easy targets for missiles that did not even need to penetrate deep trenches.

The golden information about Khamenei's presence inside his home reached intelligence a few hours before the planes took off, so the assassination was added to the target list at the last minute.