In a revealing interview broadcast Thursday evening on Israel’s Channel 13, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz acknowledged that Israel’s military campaign against Iran did not succeed in eliminating all of the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Katz also confirmed, for the first time, that Israel had actively sought to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during the 12-day war, though the attempt ultimately failed due to a lack of “operational opportunity.”
Addressing questions about the estimated 408 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity that Iran possessed before the outbreak of hostilities, Katz was candid in admitting the limitations of the Israeli strike campaign.
“We were aware from the very beginning that it would not be feasible to destroy the entirety of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile through military means alone,” he said. “That was never the realistic goal of the operation.”
Katz went on to clarify that the joint strategic understanding between the United States and Israel, even before the attacks began, was not to physically eliminate every trace of Iran’s nuclear materials, but rather to create enough pressure to compel Tehran to eventually surrender or relinquish the remaining material through diplomatic channels.
“The shared position between us and our American allies is that Iran will, at some point, be required to hand over its enriched uranium. That is the endgame — not just military strikes, but a negotiated disarmament,” Katz explained.
The Israeli defense minister also made a stunning admission regarding a covert Israeli effort to target Iran’s most powerful figure.
Yes, we did attempt to neutralize Ayatollah Khamenei,” Katz said bluntly. “That was one of the strategic goals under consideration during the conflict. However, we never had a viable operational window to carry it out.
There was no concrete opportunity where such a strike could be executed with confidence and precision.”
When pressed by the interviewer about whether such an audacious plan required approval or at least consultation with the United States, Katz dismissed the idea with a laugh.
“Israel does not need anyone’s permission to act in its defense,” he said. “The notion that we are somehow forbidden from taking bold action — especially in wartime — is simply untrue.
Of course, we coordinate with our allies, but when it comes to protecting Israeli citizens and national security, we make our own decisions.”
Katz’s comments mark a rare moment of transparency regarding both the goals and limitations of Israel’s high-stakes operation against Iran.
While Israeli airstrikes caused widespread damage to nuclear infrastructure and other strategic assets inside Iran, the defense minister’s remarks confirm what many analysts have speculated —
that a significant portion of Iran’s nuclear capability, particularly its enriched uranium stockpile, may have survived the attacks.
His acknowledgment also underscores the fact that Israel’s broader objective was not just to cripple Iran militarily, but to change its strategic calculus and force it into a position where it would have no choice but to yield through negotiation.
Katz’s candid tone, especially regarding the assassination attempt on Iran’s Supreme Leader, adds a new layer of intensity to an already volatile situation.
The statement is likely to provoke strong reactions in Tehran, where leadership assassination attempts are considered acts of war and sacrilege.
Nevertheless, Katz’s remarks make it clear that Israel views such actions as legitimate tools in its defense strategy, especially when faced with what it perceives as existential threats from Iran’s nuclear ambitions.