"America Saw Israel's Capabilities and Joined": Behind the Scenes of the Two-Front War
A senior military official reveals: Israel had been preparing to assassinate Ali Khamenei for a year, but President Donald Trump’s declarations changed the operational plans after senior American Officals witnessed what Israel brings to the table.
The plan to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was formulated by Israel about a year ago. According to a senior defense official, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to prepare for the assassination and to target Iran's military buildup, after Israeli intelligence identified Khamenei's active plans to destroy the State of Israel.
From a "Blue and White" Operation to a Joint Strike
Originally, Israel intended to act against Iran in May or June of this year. The operation prepared by Israel was meant to be purely "blue and white" (independent), until President Donald Trump declared he would take action against the Iranian regime following its severe crackdown on the Iranian people.
"The IDF's ability to reorganize in less than half a year, compress its preparations into a month and a half, and act in February is what led the President of the United States to the conclusion that he has a capable partner to execute the mission with," the senior defense official said, highlighting the tight cooperation between Israel and the US.
The official also revealed that Israel is assisting the US military in the crisis surrounding the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz: "They are full of appreciation for the assistance we are providing in the Strait of Hormuz, especially regarding the intelligence material being transferred."
Seizing the Moment in Tehran
The official confirmed that the targeted strike against Ali Khamenei was originally planned for Saturday night. However, prior to the attack, intelligence arrived regarding a rare joint gathering of senior government, intelligence, and military officials, creating a unique window of opportunity. Israel shared this intelligence with the Americans and requested to advance the strike by nearly 12 hours, launching the opening move on Saturday morning instead.
"If Khamenei had known the scope of our intelligence and our execution capabilities, perhaps he would have surrendered in advance," the senior official remarked. However, he noted that Iran's defense industries remain highly advanced.
"Iran is a capable state. They didn't build an air force, but they built impressive missile capabilities. They are no less proficient than us at building long-range, precision missiles. We do not underestimate them, and we are currently working to destroy their development and production capabilities."
Regarding Iran's energy infrastructure, the official noted that Iran is a major player. Addressing the strike on the Asaluyeh gas field in Bushehr, Iran's central gas processing facility responsible for 40% of the country's processing volume, the official stated that Israel successfully damaged 22% of the facility's processing capabilities.
The official emphasized that Israel is fully synchronized with the US regarding negotiations, adding: "There is no military way to reach the very last missile." Instead, the campaign against Iran will end through deterrence, leaving Iran "economically and militarily battered."
He predicted this will lead to a regional convergence around Israel as neighboring countries recognize its military power.
The Northern Front: A Preemptive Race
Addressing the fighting in Lebanon, the senior defense official revealed that in the days before entering the campaign, Hezbollah infiltrated hundreds of Radwan Force operatives into southern Lebanon, immediately after the Lebanese army abandoned road checkpoints leading south.
"We planned to carry out a preemptive strike, but they beat us to it by a few minutes," the official admitted.
Despite this, the IDF acted swiftly to dismantle Hezbollah's forward defense lines. The IDF has destroyed five bridges over the Litani River and maintains control and surveillance over the three remaining bridges. Israel insists on retaining prolonged freedom of action and security control over the Litani region until quiet is fully restored to Israel's northern communities.
The official stated that while Israel defeated Hezbollah following Operation "Northern Arrows," the terror group attempted to rebuild. Current Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem remains an active target for assassination. "We saw Hezbollah trying to rebuild itself. We struck every attempt, and they did not try to respond. It was clear we would not allow them to return to the reality of October 7."
The Humanitarian Pressure in Lebanon
The IDF intends to systematically destroy homes and infrastructure in border villages that serve as forward Hezbollah outposts across southern Lebanon.
According to the official's data, approximately 1.2 million Shiites have evacuated their homes: 621,000 from the Dahiyeh district in Beirut and 585,000 from southern Lebanon, including the city of Tyre. This massive displacement is creating immense pressure on both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. The senior official made it clear: