We killed the most powerful man in Tehran short of the Ayatollah. This was not an act of revenge for what he had done in the past. This was a preemptive, defensive strike planned to take out the organizer of attacks yet to come.
you are describing a criminal act, with no support in international law. “might makes right” is not a good doctrine in a region you have limited perserverance for. no coherent middle east policy.