Leaked Transcripts Reveal Netanyahu's Classified "Kill List" for Iran
Transcripts obtained by Channel 13 reveal how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned a military campaign to neutralize Iran's nuclear capabilities and eliminate its Supreme Leader during the recent hostilities.
Newly leaked transcripts, reportedly from high-level security meetings, reveal the strategic thinking behind Israel's recent military operation against Iran. The documents show that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's primary objectives were to cripple Iran's nuclear program and eliminate its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. The operation, code-named "Operation Rising Lion," was launched on June 13 with surprise strikes on dozens of critical targets, including nuclear facilities and military infrastructure, using over 300 guided munitions.
According to the transcripts, Netanyahu framed the military campaign as a matter of national survival. "We are at a historic moment with a crucial decision," he reportedly told security ministers. He warned that if they did not act, Iran would acquire a massive amount of nuclear material within a few years. "Iran has already enriched fissile material at a level that is enough for eight to nine bombs, and they are working on the weaponization," he said. Netanyahu's plan was to "deal a big blow to the command and control, hit senior scientists and other components." He concluded by stating, "If we don’t act, we simply won’t be here."
The transcripts corroborate statements from Defense Minister Israel Katz, who acknowledged that Israel had actively tried to assassinate Khamenei during the operation. Katz explained that while the military had hoped to take him out, the Iranian leader "went underground to very great depths, and broke off contacts with the commanders," ultimately making the mission unrealistic.
Over the course of the 12-day operation, Iran retaliated with a barrage of more than 500 ballistic missiles and 1,100 drones, which killed 31 Israelis and wounded over 3,000. While most of the projectiles were intercepted by Israel's defense systems, some caused significant damage, including strikes on Soroka Hospital and residential areas. The hostilities concluded with a ceasefire two days after President Trump authorized strikes on Iran’s most protected nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, prompting Iran to retaliate against an American air base in Qatar.
Channel 13 plans to broadcast additional excerpts from the transcripts, which Israeli officials have not disputed as authentic.