Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Mar 18: Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz on Wednesday claimed that Esmaeil Khatib, Iran’s intelligence minister, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran overnight, warning that “significant surprises” could follow as the conflict intensifies.
During a security assessment, Katz said the strikes against Iran were increasing in intensity and could escalate the broader confrontation involving Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“The intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing. The Iranian intelligence minister Khatib was also eliminated overnight,” Katz said, according to remarks cited by The Times of Israel.
Katz added that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have authorised the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to eliminate senior Iranian figures without requiring further approval.
The IDF later said in a statement that Khatib had been killed in a targeted strike in Tehran. According to the Israeli military, Khatib played a major role in intelligence operations and was involved in actions against Israelis and Americans worldwide. The IDF also accused him of overseeing crackdowns on protesters during the Mahsa Amini protests between 2022 and 2023.
Meanwhile, Israel also claimed to have killed Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in another airstrike in Tehran earlier this week. The IDF described Larijani as one of the most senior figures in Iran’s leadership and a close associate of Ali Khamenei.
Iranian media reports later said Larijani and his son were killed in an Israeli strike on March 17. The IDF alleged that Larijani had overseen harsh measures against protesters during waves of anti-government demonstrations in Iran.
In a separate development, the Israeli military also announced the killing of Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary unit. According to the IDF, Soleimani had led the force for the past six years and was responsible for major internal repression operations against civilian demonstrators.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that Soleimani was killed in an aerial attack by Israeli fighter jets in Tehran.
The claims come amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, raising concerns about a widening regional conflict.