An Israeli airstrike targeted a high-level gathering of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) in western Tehran. The meeting took place in a secured underground facility and was attended by President Masoud Pezeshkian, the leaders of Iran’s legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and other high-ranking officials.
According to multiple Iranian and international sources, the strike was a calculated assassination attempt, aiming to decapitate Iran’s top leadership and destabilise the government during an intense period of conflict between Iran and Israel.
Details of the Missile Strike: Six missiles were fired at the structure, concentrating on the entrances and exits to obstruct escape routes and interfere with ventilation. The conference space was left dark and without airflow after the blasts shut off the lower levels’ electricity.
Escape and Injuries: President Pezeshkian and other Iranian officials were able to flee through a prepared emergency hatch despite the attack’s accuracy. Pezeshkian suffered minor leg injuries during the evacuation due to the turmoil. Light injuries were also sustained by other officials in attendance.
Given that the Israeli hit was accurate and that the tactics employed were similar to those of other high-profile killings, Iranian authorities have opened an investigation into the possibility of insider involvement or the presence of Israeli spies.
The attempt to kill the leaders of the three branches of government “will not go unpunished, and Israel will face consequences,” a top Iranian official told Al Jazeera. This was a conscious attempt to topple Iran’s government, the official said.
“They did try, yes… but they failed,” President Pezeshkian said in a televised interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson, confirming the assassination attempt. He explained that Israel alone was responsible for the effort and that the United States was not involved.
Israeli bombings on Iranian military and nuclear installations on June 13 sparked a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, which included the airstrike on the SNSC meeting. According to reports, US bombings on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure provided backing for the attacks.
Top military leaders and nuclear experts were among the 1,060 persons murdered in Iran during the conflict, according to the Iranian Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs. Retaliatory Iranian drone and missile assaults in Israel have resulted in 28 fatalities and over 3,000 injuries, according to Israeli authorities.
Iran retaliated by attacking Israeli military and intelligence facilities using drones and ballistic missiles. The United States mediated a ceasefire in response to the escalation, which prevented more direct fighting.
The enormous stakes and personal risks for Iran’s leadership during the conflict are highlighted by the unsuccessful murder attempt on President Pezeshkian and other key officials. The intelligence accuracy and sophistication of the operation have sparked grave worries about internal security lapses in Iran’s regime.
With both sides threatening dire repercussions for any future attacks, the incident has further escalated tensions in the area. The war’s toll—over a thousand dead in Iran and dozens in Israel—has left both nations grappling with the aftermath and the potential for renewed hostilities.
Although the Israeli airstrike on June 15, 2025, barely missed its main goal of destroying Iran’s senior leadership, it caused President Pezeshkian to sustain minor injuries and sparked a significant security inquiry within Iran, marking a sharp escalation in the conflict between Iran and Israel. Both sides suffered heavy losses and extensive damage in the larger fight, which finally resulted in a truce mediated by the US.
