Israel reportedly spent years secretly monitoring the movements of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, using Tehran’s traffic camera network.
The surveillance effort helped build the intelligence that preceded the strike, which killed him, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The attack was part of a large US-Israeli military operation launched in late February. The operation triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran targeting Israel and US military bases across the Middle East.
Years of Surveillance
According to the report, many traffic cameras across Tehran had been secretly compromised by Israeli intelligence. This allowed analysts to remotely access video feeds and monitor the daily routines of senior Iranian officials and their security teams.
The surveillance campaign relied on Israel’s signals intelligence unit, Unit 8200, along with human intelligence sources recruited by Mossad.
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By collecting massive amounts of data, analysts were able to track vehicles, security details and movement patterns around key government locations.
Building a “Pattern of Life”
Intelligence teams reportedly used advanced algorithms and data analysis tools to process billions of data points. These tools helped map relationships between officials and understand how security teams operated.
Using this information, analysts created detailed profiles of members of Khamenei’s protection detail. The profiles included home addresses, duty schedules, daily routes and the officials they were assigned to protect.
By combining these data points, intelligence officers were able to build a “pattern of life.” This method allows agencies to predict movements and determine who is likely to be present at specific locations.
One traffic camera overlooking the government compound on Pasteur Street reportedly provided especially useful footage. The camera captured an area where members of the security team often parked their personal vehicles.
Tracking the Final Meeting
The intelligence gathered through these systems helped determine when Khamenei would be at his office in Tehran and who would attend a meeting there on the day of the strike.
Reportedly, Israeli intelligence detected a meeting of senior officials at the leadership compound that morning. The timing of the strike was reportedly adjusted after the meeting was confirmed.
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US intelligence agencies were also involved in gathering information about the location and schedule of the Iranian leader.
Communication Disruptions
The report also said Israeli intelligence interfered with several mobile phone towers near Pasteur Street before the strike.
This interference made nearby phones appear busy when called. The disruption may have prevented warning messages from reaching Khamenei’s security team.
Advanced Weapons and Air Operation
Israeli fighter jets carried out the attack using long-range precision weapons. Some of the missiles reportedly used in the operation can strike targets as small as a dining table from more than 1,000 kilometers away.
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The Israeli military said around 200 aircraft took part in the operation, striking hundreds of targets.
A Political Decision
Sources told the Financial Times that the assassination of the 86-year-old Iranian leader was not only a technological operation but also a political decision.
Many details of the intelligence campaign may never become public in order to protect sources and methods.
Iranian state television later confirmed Khamenei’s death, broadcasting archive footage of the leader with a black banner.
