IDF strikes and destroys aircraft used by Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian officials at Mehrabad Airport, Tehran

The Israel Air Force struck and destroyed an aircraft used by Ali Khamenei — Iran's former supreme leader assassinated on February 28 — and other senior Iranian officials and military personnel at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran overnight, the IDF confirmed. The Jerusalem Post reported the strike at 10:34 AM Israel time (08:34 UTC) with IDF spokesperson imagery of operations at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran on March 16. Mehrabad Airport is Tehran's older domestic airport, used for domestic flights and government/military aviation. The targeting of an aircraft associated with the former supreme leader underscores the IDF's doctrine of targeting the infrastructure and assets of the Iranian regime's leadership tier, even those of the deceased Ali Khamenei. The strike is likely intended to degrade the mobility and logistics infrastructure of Iran's current senior leadership and IRGC command structure, which may have been using the same aircraft fleet.