Israel Attack Iran President

Background: Why Did Israel Target Iran’s President?

Israel and Iran have been locked in a shadow war for decades:

• Israel sees Iran’s nuclear program and regional influence (through groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis) as an existential threat.

• Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, elected in June 2025, is a reformist but strongly defends Iran’s nuclear rights.

• Intelligence reports suggested Pezeshkian’s government was accelerating uranium enrichment and renewing ties with regional proxies to push back against Israel’s covert strikes.

• Tensions spiked after Iran allegedly provided advanced drones to Hezbollah for use against Israel’s northern border.

In early June 2025, a series of covert attacks hit Iranian nuclear sites. Tehran blamed Israel and threatened retaliation — this escalated into Operation Rising Lion, Israel’s largest coordinated strike inside Iran since 1981.

The Attack Itself Timeline & Method

Date: Approx. June 16–17, 2025
Location: A secure bunker of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) in western Tehran — one of Iran’s most protected command centers.

Who was there?

• President Masoud Pezeshkian

• Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf

• Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei

• Top IRGC commanders

• Security & intelligence chiefs

How did the strike happen?

• According to leaked Revolutionary Guard reports, Israeli operatives pinpointed the SNSC meeting through signals intelligence and a local informant.

• Six precision-guided missiles (likely launched by an F-35 or drones) struck:

  • Entry/exit points of the underground complex

  • External ventilation shafts

  • Surrounding power grid

Objective: Trap senior leadership inside by collapsing exits, suffocate them by cutting airflow, and disable comms.

Result:

• One blast caused a partial collapse near the main entrance.

• The building’s backup generators failed.

• A pre-constructed emergency tunnel (unknown to Israeli planners) allowed Pezeshkian and others to escape.

• Pezeshkian reportedly tripped or was struck by debris, injuring his leg.

• Ghalibaf and Ejei had minor injuries but no critical casualties were confirmed.

How Did Israel Pull It Off?

Intelligence leaks suggest:

• Inside help: An Iranian insider or digital breach gave Israel details about the time and location of the meeting.

• Israel’s Unit 8200 (cyber intelligence) may have hacked secure comms to track real-time movements.

• Drone surveillance might have confirmed Pezeshkian’s presence before launch.

• Missiles were likely air-launched from outside Iran’s borders, possibly fired from stealth jets over the Persian Gulf or from drones within Iranian airspace.

What Has Iran Said?

• Iranian state media first denied the incident. Then multiple reports from semi-official news agencies and a leaked IRGC internal memo forced an acknowledgment.

• On July 7, Pezeshkian himself confirmed the attempt in an interview with Tucker Carlson, saying:

  “Yes, they tried. It was not America. It was Israel.”

• The government is conducting a full internal probe, focused on:

  • Identifying the source of the intelligence leak.

  • Punishing internal traitors or infiltrators.

• Revolutionary Guard commanders have promised “direct and indirect retaliation.”

 Regional & Political Impact

Escalation Risk:

• Targeting a sitting head of state is an unprecedented escalation in the Iran-Israel rivalry.

• Some analysts say this marks the transition from covert sabotage (scientists, nuclear facilities) to open decapitation attempts.

Domestic Reaction in Iran:

• Pezeshkian is relatively moderate compared to his hardline predecessors.

• Ironically, the attack has rallied moderates and conservatives behind him — calls for unity have grown louder.

• He’s used this as leverage to tighten security around senior leadership and purge suspected double agents.

Diplomatic Fallout:

• Iran paused indirect nuclear talks with the US, blaming the West for indirectly green-lighting Israeli actions.

• However, Pezeshkian hinted Iran may resume talks if the US guarantees no further “terroristic assassinations.”

• Israel has remained silent — following its usual neither-confirm-nor-deny policy.

Wider Middle East:

• Hezbollah, Houthis, and Iraqi militias have threatened to retaliate on Iran’s behalf.

• Israeli embassies in Europe and Asia went on high alert.

• There’s fear of proxy attacks on US bases as well, as Iran may indirectly blame Washington for failing to restrain Israel.

 Why Did The Attempt Fail?

Emergency Planning:

• Iran’s top brass has prepared for “decapitation strikes” for years.

• Multiple redundant tunnels and safe rooms are standard in elite Iranian government facilities.

Operational Miscalculation:

• The strike’s timing and entry-point targeting showed high-level planning but didn’t account for the full layout.

Possible Israeli Message:

• Some analysts think Israel never intended to kill him outright but to send a message: You are not safe anywhere.

What Happens Next?

• Possible Iranian Response:

  • Covert: More attacks on Israeli-linked shipping, cyberattacks.

  • Proxy: Hezbollah or Iraqi groups might launch missiles at Israel.

  • Diplomatic: Push the West to restrain Israel through back channels.

• Pezeshkian’s Political Future:

  • He might get a surge in domestic popularity as a “survivor.”

  • Could use the attempted hit to push harder for regional alliances or even accelerate nuclear capabilities.

• Israel’s Calculus:

  • If the operation had succeeded, it might have triggered massive retaliation.

  • Its failure still demonstrates how deep Israel’s intelligence reach is — which will likely spook Iran’s leadership.