Israel's Shift in Policy on Targeting Enemy Leaders
In the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, Israel has abandoned a long-standing, unwritten rule against assassinating foreign heads of state. This marks a significant departure from a policy adhered to for decades. The shift is driven by Israel's assessment that Iran was behind the Hamas assault, fundamentally altering its strategic calculus. This decision reflects the heightened state of regional tensions following the October 7th massacre.
A key factor in this policy change was a directive issued by then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2001, which emphasized the critical need to counter the Iranian threat. Meir Dagan, the head of Mossad at the time, recalled Sharon's order, stating:
“Everything Mossad does is good and wonderful. But I need Iran. That is your target—Ariel Sharon.”
For the next two decades, Israel actively worked to sabotage Iran's nuclear program.
A New Strategy and Its Consequences
As part of this new approach, Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in 2024. This operation was one in a series of intelligence successes, which also included a covert mission that planted explosives in Hezbollah's pagers and radios at a cost of $300 million. These actions led to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024.
The assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a Saturday represents the culmination of Israel's revised policy. As expert Sima Shine noted, drawing on a Hebrew proverb:
“In Hebrew we say: 'Appetite comes with eating.' In other words, the more you have, the more you want.”
These events signal a profound shift in Israel's methods for countering Iranian influence across the Middle East.
Israel's policy reversal indicates a major escalation in the regional conflict and underscores the new strategic challenges posed by threats from Hamas and Iran. It is also likely to impact international relations, as the targeted killing of state leaders may provoke strong reactions from other nations. This could lead to further isolation for Israel or, conversely, to strengthened alliances with states that support its actions against terrorist threats.