Pakistan, June 27 -- Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would have assassinated Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the recent war if the military had found the chance. Speaking to public radio Kan, Katz claimed, "If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out."

Katz said that Khamenei went underground during the 12-day conflict, cutting off communication with commanders to avoid detection. "He understood the threat and disappeared very deep underground," Katz explained. This made an Israeli operation "unrealistic," despite serious efforts to locate him.

In interviews with Channel 13 and Channel 12, Katz stated Israel has now paused such assassination plans, following the June 24 ceasefire. ...