1. The campaign began with the reported killing of Ali Khamenei, signaling from the outset that the objective was to strike at the very top of Iran’s power structure. Since then, the joint American–Israeli operation has focused on removing senior leadership rather than dismantling the state itself. Those reported killed include Ali Shamkhani (senior national security adviser), Mohammad Pakpour (IRGC commander-in-chief), Aziz Nasirzadeh (defence minister), Abdolrahim Mousavi (chief of staff), Ali Larijani (national security council secretary), Esmail Khatib (intelligence minister), Gholamreza Soleimani (Basij commander), and Ali Mohammad Naini (IRGC spokesperson), along with additional IRGC figures cited in field reporting.
2. A Washington Republican congressional source told Jafaj that the intent is not to dismantle Iran’s civilian structure. The aim is to keep ministries such as health and education functioning for ordinary people while removing the top leadership. This reflects a clear contrast with the Iraq War under George W. Bush, where dissolving the state apparatus left large numbers unemployed and contributed to insurgency and prolonged instability.
3. The logic is to force change at the top without triggering collapse at the bottom. By targeting the leadership core first, the approach seeks to weaken the regime’s ability to operate while preserving basic governance and daily life. In practical terms, it is a controlled strategy: remove the head, keep the system functioning, and avoid the chaos that would follow total institutional breakdown.