The killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday marked one of the sharpest escalations in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. The strike was carried out using a missile launched from a fighter jet that travelled to the edge of space before plunging back to Earth at high speed, as per a report New York Post.The weapon, known as the Blue Sparrow, is capable of travelling roughly 1,240 miles and follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory that briefly exits the Earth’s atmosphere. Such a flight path allows the missile to evade many conventional air defence systems and strike targets with little warning.
According to Israeli officials, the missile was used as part of a broader operation against Iranian leadership targets in Tehran. The strike targeted Khamenei’s heavily guarded compound on Pasteur Street, where several senior military and political figures had gathered for a meeting. By the following morning, Iranian state media confirmed that the 86-year-old cleric had been killed in the attack.The operation reflected years of intelligence gathering and military planning by Israel, which had long regarded Khamenei as the central figure behind Iran’s regional military strategy and its nuclear ambitions.
The missile that travels through space
At the centre of the strike was the Blue Sparrow, a weapon originally designed to simulate enemy ballistic missiles during air defence tests. Developed as part of Israel’s “Sparrow” missile family — which also includes the Black Sparrow and Silver Sparrow — it was initially built to replicate threats similar to the Soviet-designed Scud missiles used during the Gulf War.Over time, however, the missile has been adapted for operational use. Measuring roughly 6.5 metres in length and weighing about 1.9 tonnes, it can be launched from fighter aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle.
After launch, a booster propels the missile high above the atmosphere before it re-enters on a steep downward trajectory. This quasi-ballistic path dramatically reduces the reaction time for air defence systems, making interception extremely difficult.Israeli sources quoted by the Post say debris believed to be from the missile was later discovered in western Iraq, along what analysts believe was the weapon’s flight path toward Tehran.
Because of its speed and unusual trajectory, the Blue Sparrow is considered particularly effective for striking high-value targets deep inside heavily defended territory.
Intelligence operation years in the making
The strike was not simply the result of advanced weaponry. It was the culmination of years of intelligence gathering by Mossad and Unit 8200, Israel’s elite cyber-intelligence division.According to officials familiar with the operation, Israeli intelligence agencies had been tracking the movements of Khamenei’s security detail for decades. Surveillance reportedly included monitoring traffic cameras and communications networks around the compound.
The final decision to launch the strike came after intelligence indicated that several top Iranian officials would attend an in-person meeting with the supreme leader on a Saturday morning.Khamenei had reportedly spent most nights in a deep underground bunker beneath his residence, which Iranian officials believed would protect him from air strikes. That assumption shaped Israel’s planning.Instead of launching an overnight attack, Israeli planners waited for a rare moment when the leader and his senior commanders were gathered above ground.To prevent any warning reaching the compound, Israeli cyber units disrupted mobile phone networks in the area shortly before the attack began.
How the strike unfolded
On the morning of the operation, Israeli fighter aircraft, including F-15 Eagle jets, reportedly took off shortly after 7.30am Iran time.Within about two hours the aircraft were in position to launch their payloads. At approximately 9.40am, the first missiles were fired toward central Tehran.Around 30 precision strikes were launched against Khamenei’s compound and nearby facilities. Among them were several Blue Sparrow missiles, which descended at high speed onto the target area.Videos circulating on social media soon showed smoke rising from multiple locations across the Iranian capital, including the supreme leader’s residence. By the evening, reports indicated that several buildings within the compound had been severely damaged.The following morning, Iranian state media confirmed that Khamenei had been killed in the strikes, along with several senior military figures including commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.The attack also reportedly killed members of the supreme leader’s family who were present during the meeting.
