The strike that killed the 86-year-old cleric was reportedly carried out using a powerful air-launched missile known as the Blue Sparrow, a weapon capable of travelling to the edge of space before plunging back to Earth at extremely high speed.
The US-Israeli strike on Saturday marked a dramatic escalation of the conflict, triggering a war that has now spread across several parts of the Middle East.
According to reports, the missile was launched during a coordinated Israeli operation targeting senior Iranian leadership in Tehran. The strike hit Khamenei’s heavily guarded compound on Pasteur Street, where several top officials had reportedly gathered for a meeting.
Iranian state media confirmed the supreme leader’s death the following morning.
Missile that briefly travels through space
The Blue Sparrow missile follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory, meaning it climbs high above the Earth’s atmosphere before descending sharply toward its target.
Originally developed as part of Israel’s Sparrow missile family — which also includes the Black Sparrow and Silver Sparrow systems — the weapon was initially designed to simulate Soviet-era Scud missiles during missile defence tests.
Over time, the system was adapted for operational strike missions.
The missile measures about 6.5 metres in length and weighs roughly 1.9 tonnes. It has a range of nearly 2,000 kilometres and is typically launched from fighter aircraft such as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.
After launch, a booster rocket propels the missile toward the edge of space before separating, allowing it to re-enter the atmosphere at high speed and descend onto its target.
Its steep trajectory significantly reduces reaction time for air defence systems, making interception extremely difficult and enabling it to strike heavily protected targets with little warning.
Israeli officials later said fragments believed to be from the missile were discovered in Iraq, along what analysts believe was its flight path toward Tehran.
Operation targeting Iran’s leadership
The strike was reportedly part of a wider Israeli military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, aimed at key Iranian military and political leadership positions.
Israeli fighter aircraft reportedly took off shortly after 7:30 am Iran time and reached their launch positions roughly two hours later.
At around 9:40 am, nearly 30 precision-guided munitions — including several Blue Sparrow missiles — were fired toward Khamenei’s compound and nearby facilities.
Videos circulating on social media showed thick smoke rising from multiple areas across Tehran, including the supreme leader’s residence.
Satellite imagery later indicated that several buildings within the complex had sustained heavy damage.
Intelligence operation years in the making
The strike was reportedly the result of a long-term intelligence operation involving Israel’s spy agency Mossad and the cyber-intelligence unit Unit 8200.
Israeli intelligence agencies are believed to have spent years tracking the movements of Khamenei’s security detail and mapping activities around the compound.
The surveillance reportedly included hacking traffic cameras and monitoring communication networks across Tehran, enabling analysts to build what officials described as a detailed “pattern of life” of Iran’s leadership.
The final decision to launch the strike was reportedly taken after intelligence suggested several senior Iranian officials would attend an in-person meeting with Khamenei on Saturday morning.
Timing the strike
Khamenei had reportedly been spending most nights in a deep underground bunker beneath his residence, which Iranian officials believed would protect him from potential air strikes.
Israeli planners therefore waited for a rare moment when the supreme leader and several senior commanders were gathered above ground.
Shortly before the attack, Israeli cyber units reportedly disrupted mobile phone networks around the compound to prevent warnings from reaching security personnel.
When the missiles struck, Iranian officials were reportedly attending a morning meeting.
Along with Khamenei, several senior figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other military leadership were also killed in the strike. Some reports suggested that members of the supreme leader’s family present during the meeting were among those killed. (Agency)
