Consider This from NPR Why Israeli assassinations aren't working the way they hope
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Mar 22, 2026 
Yossi Melman, Israeli journalist and author focused on intelligence and strategic affairs, talks about Israel’s long use of targeted killings. He explains why decapitation strategies often fail to topple regimes. He describes how intelligence services operate inside Iran and assesses the risks and uncertain endgame of such operations.
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War Of Attrition Is Wearing Down Israel
- The conflict has become a war of attrition producing widespread fatigue across Israel.
- Melman describes nightly shelter runs, 30% of the population lacking shelters, and disrupted daily routines after 23 days of attacks.
Decapitation Strikes Don't Topple Regimes
- Targeted leadership killings won't topple Iran's regime or produce the hoped-for internal coup.
- Yossi Melman says Israel and the U.S. expected Khamenei's death to trigger mass uprisings or a takeover by moderates, but that chain reaction hasn't happened.
Targeted Killings Are A Repeated Israeli Tactic
- Israel has long relied on targeted killings as a problem-solving tool against enemies from German-linked scientists to Hamas and now Iran.
- Melman argues the pattern repeats: leaders are replaced and the tactic yields disruption short-term but no strategic resolution.