Israeli Intelligence Allegedly Ran Years-Long Surveillance of Tehran Cameras to Track Khamenei, Says Report

March, 2026 : Israeli intelligence agencies reportedly hacked and monitored nearly every traffic camera in Tehran over several years to closely track the movements of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in what has been described as one of the most extensive intelligence-gathering operations ever conducted inside Iran, according to a report by the Financial Times.

The report said the operation involved penetrating Iran’s urban surveillance infrastructure to gain real-time visibility into the daily routines of senior Iranian officials. Highly trained and trusted security personnel—including bodyguards, drivers and guards assigned to protect top leaders—were also placed under constant observation to establish detailed “patterns of life” that could reveal vulnerabilities.

According to officials cited in the report, Israeli intelligence obtained live video feeds from traffic cameras positioned across Tehran, including cameras trained near Khamenei’s personal residential compound. The data was reportedly encrypted and transmitted to secure servers located in Tel Aviv and southern Israel, allowing analysts to monitor movements with precision.

One compromised camera facing the Supreme Leader’s residence enabled intelligence officers to determine where security vehicles routinely parked and how protection units rotated during meetings. “We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem,” a current Israeli intelligence official was quoted as saying, underscoring the depth of situational awareness achieved through the operation. “When you know a place that well, you notice even a single thing that’s out of place.”

The report added that plans to assassinate Khamenei had been under preparation for months but were revised when intelligence revealed that the Iranian leader would attend a meeting in person at his home rather than at an alternative secure location. On the day of the operation, hacked traffic cameras reportedly confirmed that the meeting was proceeding according to schedule.

The Israeli military is said to have deliberately carried out strikes during daylight hours to maximise the element of surprise. Intelligence officials claimed this allowed Israel to achieve tactical surprise despite what they described as heightened Iranian preparedness.

In parallel, Iran’s mobile phone services and communications networks were reportedly disrupted as part of a broader cyber and space-based operation designed to leave Iranian command structures disoriented. General Dan Caine, identified as the chief of joint staffs, said coordinated cyber and space operations effectively crippled Iran’s ability to detect, coordinate or respond to the unfolding attack.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump told Fox News that Iran’s top leader was “eliminated along with his inner circle as they gathered for breakfast,” a claim that added to the shockwaves surrounding the reported operation.

US officials later briefed Pentagon staff that there were no indications Iran was preparing to strike first. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that American forces launched strikes preemptively after being informed of Israel’s plans.

“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action,” Rubio said. “We knew that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t pre-emptively go after them, we would suffer higher casualties.”

If confirmed, the revelations point to a dramatic escalation in intelligence and cyber warfare capabilities in the Middle East, raising profound questions about sovereignty, surveillance, and the future conduct of modern conflict.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)