ISLAMABAD – Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed that Iran’s powerful security chief Ali Larijani has been killed in a covert strike.
Israeli officials said the high-stakes operation reportedly targeted Larijani while he was hiding in a secret apartment with his son. Larijani is not just any official, he’s one of Iran’s most influential power brokers, closely linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and a key figure in national security decision-making.
If confirmed, his death would mark one of the most significant blows to Iran’s leadership in recent years.
Israeli leadership ordered the military to continue pursuing Iran’s top command structure, signaling a potentially aggressive new phase in the shadow war between the two nations.
In a parallel claim, Israel says it has also eliminated Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, a group deeply involved in internal crackdowns. So far, no independent confirmation has emerged, and Iran has issued no official response, a silence that is fueling speculation worldwide.
With recent appearances showing Larijani alive just days ago, analysts are urging caution: claims like these have surfaced before in the long-running Israel-Iran shadow conflict.
Larijani was seen alive and highly defiant just days earlier at a massive public rally in the Iranian capital. Footage from Al Quds Day shows him moving through the Tehran, surrounded by senior officials and thousands of supporters during the annual demonstrations.
The pictures paint striking contrast to Israel’s claims, raising urgent questions about timing, accuracy, and the unfolding truth behind the reported strike. Larijani dismissed bombing that coincided with the demonstration as a desperate act.
Larijani took aim at US President Donald Trump, accusing him of misjudging Iran’s strength. “Trump does not understand the Iranian people. This is a brave, strong, and determined nation. The more pressure applied, the stronger our resolve becomes,” he warned.
Trump not travelling to China for key summit as defiant Iran ‘ready for long war’
