According to sources cited by New York Times and CNN, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israeli intelligence monitored Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for several months prior to his assassination. They tracked his daily routines, meetings, and potential hiding spots in case of threat.

The CIA identified that a meeting of high-ranking Iranian officials with Khamenei's personal attendance would occur at his Tehran residence on the morning of February 28. This information was shared with Israel. CNN sources note that the overly cautious Khamenei felt safer during daytime and lowered his vigilance.

Israeli fighter jets took off around 06:00, striking two hours later with long-range, high-precision missiles. At the time of the strike, Khamenei was in a nearby building.

BBC News reports that Khamenei's location may have been determined by monitoring movements of other Iranian officials using modern technology. During the June 2025 war, Israel used hacking of telecommunications systems to track individuals.

The success of the surveillance may indicate deep weaknesses in Iran's security system or the ability of Israel and the US to adapt methods and find new ways of observation.

Source: www.gazeta.uz