Israel’s leadership secretly discussed assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening days of June’s war with Iran, leaked cabinet transcripts aired Sunday by Channel 13 revealed.
On June 14, one day after Israel's surprise attacks, a small meeting of security cabinet ministers heard Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say that war goals included eliminating Khamenei.
Others included striking the Fordow nuclear facility, to set fuel depots in Tehran on fire, and work toward killing officials who had replaced assassinated officials targeted in the overnight attacks sparking the 12-day war.
The goal to target the supreme leader was echoed among Netanyahu's government, with controversial right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich telling ministers that Israel must “keep searching for the leader".
At the end of June, Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, told Hebrew media that the military had hoped to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader.
“If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out,” he told Channel 13, adding that Israel “searched a lot” for Khamenei but that the operational opportunity did not appear during the bloody conflict that saw over 1,100 Iranians killed and thousands more injured.
The transcripts, set to be broadcast in full Tuesday with an accompanying Netanyahu interview, also detail Israeli hopes that US President Donald Trump would order strikes on Iran’s fortified Fordow nuclear facility, which was indeed later bombed by the US along with Natanz and Isfahan.
‘A historic moment’
According to the newly revealed information, on the eve of the war, Netanyahu argued Iran was “getting close to being the second-biggest powerhouse on ballistic missiles” and said Israel’s opening attack on June 13 could reshape later negotiations.
At the June 12 bunker meeting, he said that Iran already had enough enriched material for “eight to nine bombs” and was advancing on weaponization. “If we don’t act, we simply won’t be here,” he said.
The plan called for destroying the Natanz nuclear facility, targeting nuclear scientists, and striking conversion sites that could turn enriched uranium into bomb cores.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir praised the opening strikes on June 13 as “extraordinary achievements” and said Iran had responded with fewer missile launches than expected.
US support critical to target Fordow
Transcripts reveal an unnamed official cautioning that Fordow could be destroyed “only if the US attacks it,” given the site’s depth under mountainous terrain requiring the specialist bunker-busting bombers that only the US had.
During a call with US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu “pushed and maneuvered” for American refueling planes to support Israeli attacks and a potential strike on Fordow, the transcripts reveal.
Katz said US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told him refueling support was being prepared.
The transcripts also show Netanyahu's right-wing ministers pressing for tougher action on Iran. Katz argued for targeting Iran’s state broadcaster and secret police, while Shas party leader Aryeh Deri urged killing officers replacing those already struck.
Iran eventually fired over 500 ballistic missiles and 1,100 drones, killing 31 in Israel and wounding more than 3,000. More than 13,000 Israelis were displaced after homes, universities and a hospital were struck.
Channel 13 said its full feature Tuesday will include further transcripts, including pressure on Trump to bomb Fordow and information about Iran’s strike on Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.
