Khamenei Makes First Public Appearance Since War with Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, emerged from seclusion today (Saturday), to attend a public event marking the Night of Ashura, marking his first appearance since the onset of hostilities with Israel. The event, held in Tehran, comes three weeks after Israel's initial strikes, during which Khamenei had remained in hiding, avoiding public engagements even after a ceasefire was declared.

Khamenei's absence from the public eye was notable, given reports that Israel had considered assassinating him. Despite this, he had previously recorded sporadic speeches, including a defiant declaration of victory and promises of rapid restoration of damaged nuclear facilities.

U.S. President Donald Trump responded to one such speech, stating that Khamenei's survival was due to his directive to Israel not to proceed with the assassination. An Israeli source countered that the decision not to target Khamenei was made early in the operation, despite the capability to do so alongside other high-profile eliminations. Later assessments during the conflict considered the possibility again, but insufficient intelligence hindered the effort as Khamenei remained concealed.

According to a "New York Times" report, Khamenei, aware of the assassination threat, appointed three potential successors and selected replacements for the Iranian military's chain of command, anticipating further losses like those suffered early in the war. He communicated with his commanders through an assistant and ceased using digital communication to evade detection.