The US targeted Iran’s Qasem Soleimani when Israel provided information about his plans to attack US forces, the head of Israeli Military Intelligence has said.

General Tamir Heiman told Walla News that Iran’s top Middle East operative and the commander of its extra-territorial Qods (Quds) Force Soleimani intended to launch large-scale operations against US forces in the Persian Gulf region. Israel shared this information with Washington, which changed its calculus in regards with Iran.

Soleimani was targeted by the United States on January 3 last year when he landed in Baghdad airport and his motorcade began to drive away. Missiles from drones hit his motorcade instantly killing him and the top Iraqi Shiite militia commander.

Iran has vowed revenge for Soleimani’s death. Heiman said that Iran is at the center of regional crisis and tries to take action in several countries. He added that Israel’s repeated attacks on Iranian bases in Syria has imposed a high cost on Tehran and the regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad.