Israel claims killing of top Iranian officials as conflict deepens

Israel says it has killed two of Iran’s most senior figures in overnight strikes, marking a major escalation in the conflict.Defense Minister Israel Katz claims top security official Ali Larijani and Basij militia chief Gholam Reza Soleimani were both “eliminated.” But so far, Iranian state media has not confirmed the deaths.

In fact, Iranian outlets released a handwritten condolence letter from Larijani on Tuesday, raising questions about what really happened.

Larijani is a heavyweight in Iranian politics, a former parliamentary speaker and close adviser on nuclear strategy. Soleimani, meanwhile, led the Basij militia, long accused of violently suppressing protests and already sanctioned by the US and EU.

These reported killings come just weeks after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an airstrike at the start of the war, shaking Iran’s leadership at the very top.

Israel says it has carried out wide-scale strikes across Tehran, while also stepping up attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran, in turn, has launched missiles toward Tel Aviv, and Hezbollah has targeted northern Israel.