Israel says it has killed the Iranian nationwide security chief, Ali Larijani, in in a single day strikes, a declare that if confirmed would make him essentially the most senior Iranian determine to die in the conflict for the reason that supreme chief Ali Khamenei was killed on its first day.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, mentioned a separate strike killed the Basij paramilitary drive commander, Gholamreza Soleimani, together with different senior Basij figures.
Iran has but to touch upon both declare. If confirmed, Larijani’s loss of life would take away a pivotal determine on the coronary heart of the regime’s political and security institution at a second of acute disaster.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,” Katz said on Tuesday.
Larijani had been seen as one of the more pragmatic faces of Iran’s establishment – who helped steer nuclear negotiations with the west – however that picture later hardened. Hours after US and Israeli strikes killed Khamenei, Larijani delivered a defiant message, warning that Iran would make its enemies “regret” their actions and promising a forceful response.
An Israeli official mentioned a strike on Larijani had initially been deliberate for the earlier night time however was postponed on the final minute.
Intelligence obtained on Monday afternoon indicated that Larijani was resulting from arrive at one in all a number of residences he used as a hideout, the official mentioned. He was reportedly there together with his son when the strike was carried out.
When information he had been focused started to flow into early on Tuesday, together with his destiny remaining unclear, one other senior Israeli official mentioned “there was no chance he survived this attack”.
Born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1958 he studied in Tehran and after the Islamic revolution rose by way of the ranks of the state, serving as tradition minister, head of state broadcasting and, for greater than a decade, as speaker of parliament.
As chief nuclear negotiator, he performed a key position in shaping Iran’s engagement with world powers, later backing the 2015 nuclear deal.
Though usually considered a pragmatist throughout the system, his stance had hardened in latest months, as tensions with Israel and the US escalated and diplomatic efforts faltered. Reappointed in 2025 as secretary of the supreme nationwide security council, he emerged as a central determine in Tehran’s wartime management.
The US had supplied a reward of as much as $10m for info on senior Iranian navy and intelligence officers, together with Larijani, as a part of a listing of 10 figures linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
If the loss of life of Ali Larijani have been to be confirmed, the variety of senior Iranian officers killed by Israel for the reason that begin of the most recent battle would rise to 10.
Among them are 5 different senior navy commanders, together with Ali Shamkhani, a detailed adviser to the supreme chief.
For the previous hours, huge explosions have been reported in totally different components of Tehran and different cities throughout the nation, together with Ahvaz, Isfahan and Shiraz.
