Israel has claimed responsibility for the assassination of two prominent Iranian officials, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions.
The announcement was made by Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, who confirmed that Ali Larijani, a key figure in Iran’s security establishment, had been killed. Larijani previously served as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and was regarded as one of the country’s influential political and security figures.
In a separate statement, the Israel Defense Forces said it had also eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force.
According to the IDF:
> “Yesterday, the IDF targeted and eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past six years. Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators.”
The Basij is a paramilitary wing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, often linked to internal security and enforcement operations.
However, Iranian authorities have yet to officially confirm the deaths of either Larijani or Soleimani, leaving room for uncertainty around the claims.
The development follows reports of a joint U.S.-Israel offensive, Operation Epic Fury, allegedly launched on February 28, which was said to have resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials.
With no immediate response from Tehran, global observers are closely monitoring the situation amid fears of further escalation across the Middle East.
