Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has said the country’s military killed two of Iran’s most senior security figures in overnight airstrikes, as tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate.
In a statement on Tuesday, Katz said he had been briefed that Ali Larijani, described as Iran’s security chief, had been killed. He also confirmed the death of Gholamreza Soleimani, who led the Basij militia.
At the same time, Iranian state media released a handwritten message attributed to Larijani paying tribute to sailors killed in a U.S. strike, whose funeral was expected on Tuesday. Tehran has yet to respond to Katz’s comments.
If confirmed, Larijani would be among the highest-ranking figures killed since Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was reportedly assassinated during the opening day of Israeli and U.S. strikes on 28 February.
The Basij force, commanded by Soleimani, is a volunteer paramilitary organisation operating under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It has long been used by authorities in Tehran to suppress internal dissent and protests.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were part of a broader campaign targeting senior figures within Iran’s leadership. His office stated that he had authorised operations aimed at the “elimination of senior officials of the Iranian regime”.
The conflict, now entering its third week, has already claimed at least 2,000 lives. There is little sign of a pause in fighting, with both sides continuing to exchange strikes.
Meanwhile, Iran has kept up pressure on Gulf states, with attacks in the region contributing to rising energy prices. The situation has been made more severe by the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes. The waterway remains largely closed.
Efforts to reopen the strait have stalled. Several U.S. allies in the region have resisted calls from Donald Trump to intervene and help secure the passage.
Larijani, a former nuclear negotiator and long-time ally of Khamenei, had appeared in public just days earlier, attending Quds Day rallies in Tehran. On the same day, the United States announced rewards of up to $10 million for information on senior Iranian military and intelligence officials, including Larijani, as part of a wider list linked to the Revolutionary Guard.
Israeli media reports suggest the latest strikes were carefully targeted, focusing not only on Soleimani but also on other senior Basij figures.
With the conflict intensifying and vital trade routes under threat, concerns are growing about wider regional instability and the global economic impact.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani was killed in ta...
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Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani was killed in targeted strikes on the country.
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Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani was killed in targeted strikes on the country.
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