Yair Golan, former Deputy IDF Chief of Staff and current leader of Israel’s Democratic Party, stated on October 9, 2026, that the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was unequivocally a mistake. Speaking at an event in Rishon LeZion, Golan argued the decision did not serve Israel’s long-term interests even though he believed Khamenei deserved his fate. He explained that removing the 86-year-old veteran leader eliminated a more predictable adversary and left power in the hands of harder-line, more violent successors. Among them is Khamenei’s son Mojtaba, who assumed the role after the February 28, 2026, US-Israeli airstrike that killed the elder Khamenei and several top Iranian officials. Golan said Israel’s achievements against Iran had peaked earlier and that the subsequent operation failed to deliver lasting strategic gains.

The comments have sharpened internal Israeli debates over the results of the 2026 campaign against Iran. Golan accused the government of setting an unrealistic objective of regime change that was never achieved. He maintained that keeping an elderly, long-standing leader in place offered certain advantages compared with the more extreme figures who rose afterward. Critics and supporters alike are now weighing whether the high-profile strike improved or complicated Israel’s position in the region. The remarks underscore ongoing questions about how targeted killings of senior adversaries translate into broader security outcomes. As political discussion continues, Golan’s assessment stands as a pointed challenge to the official narrative of success.