In a significant escalation of Israeli military operations, two of Iran’s most influential regime figures have been killed in targeted strikes. Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij militia, were reportedly eliminated by Israeli forces, according to Israeli officials.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the deaths, stating that Larijani and Soleimani, both central figures in Iran’s internal crackdown on dissent, had been taken out in a series of attacks. Katz added that the pair’s elimination marked a major blow to the Iranian leadership, which is already struggling under mounting pressure both at home and abroad.
Larijani had long been a close associate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and Soleimani led the Basij militia, responsible for suppressing protests and dissent within the country.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed the strikes, with a statement emphasizing Larijani’s central role in orchestrating violence against Iranian protesters and Soleimani’s leadership in suppressing civil unrest. The IDF described the Basij as a key force behind the regime’s violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrations in Iran.
These killings come as part of a broader strategy by Israel, coordinated with the U.S., to target individuals connected to Iran’s security apparatus. The U.S. government had previously placed a bounty on figures like Larijani, offering substantial rewards for information leading to their capture. The joint U.S.-Israeli operation is seen as a direct response to Iran’s internal repression and its ongoing efforts to destabilize the region.