Photo: Alamy
Two senior Iranian figures, including a top security official and the head of the Basij militia, were killed in overnight strikes, according to Israel’s defense minister, as fighting intensified across the Middle East and Iran launched new missile and drone attacks.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Ali Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani were “eliminated last night,” according to the Associated Press. The reported deaths mark another blow to Iran’s leadership following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an airstrike previously launched by the United States and Israel.
The announcement followed what the Israeli military conducted strikes targeting Iran’s capital, Tehran, along with attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. Israel also reported incoming Iranian missile barrages toward Tel Aviv and other areas, as well as rocket fire from Lebanon into northern Israel.
Missile activity extended across the Gulf region. Intercepted Iranian missiles over the United Arab Emirates forced Dubai to temporarily close its airspace, while debris killed one man in Abu Dhabi.
Larijani previously served as parliamentary speaker and secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. He also advised Khamenei on nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration.
Soleimani led the Basij, a paramilitary force that Israel described as an enforcement arm of Iran’s government. Israeli officials said the group played a central role in suppressing domestic protests.
“During internal protests in Iran, particularly in recent periods as demonstrations intensified, Basij forces under Soleimani’s command led the main repression operations, employing severe violence, widespread arrests and the use of force against civilian demonstrators,” Israel’s military said in a statement.
Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have heightened fears of a broader energy crisis. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait.
Oil prices have surged, with prices remaining above $100 per barrel. U.S. President Donald Trump said he had urged several countries to deploy naval forces to keep the waterway open, though commitments were announced.
Israel said 12 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire, while at least 13 U.S. service members have died.
