US preparations for an assassination operation against Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei began in June 2025, following strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, Report informs via France's Intelligence Online portal.
After the Operation Midnight Hammer – during which American B-2 stealth bombers attacked Iranian facilities – the CIA and other US intelligence agencies significantly expanded their coverage to gather information about the region.
Initially, their main task was to assess the damage. However, tensions arose among US agencies in the early stages. Leaked information from the Pentagon's intelligence and its underground facility analysis center contradicted US President Donald Trump's public statements about completely destroying Iran's nuclear program.
Subsequently, US intelligence leaders allocated major resources to track Ali Khamenei's movements using human and technical intelligence, in order to present future options to the White House.
This work was carried out in close cooperation with Israeli intelligence services, despite Iran's harsh measures against foreign intelligence networks. These months-long efforts culminated in the February 28 raid on the residence of Iran's Supreme Leader.
In addition, just days before the assassination attempt, the CIA launched an active psychological warfare campaign. The agency released a special video in Persian on X, providing instructions to potential Iranian dissidents on how to securely establish contact with American intelligence.