Former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), Joe Kent, stated that he did not believe Iran was an imminent threat to the U.S. He resigned from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday, stating he could not support the Iran war in good conscience. Kent argued that the Israelis influenced the administration's decision to strike Iran, which he claimed proved that there was no immediate danger posed to the US at the time of the attack. He also suggested that the Israeli influence over American foreign policy in the Middle East influenced the decision to take the action. The Israeli and American strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of other senior leaders in Operation Epic Fury.