Israel announced on Wednesday it had killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an overnight strike in Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iranian missiles hammered Israeli cities in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and the head of Basij forces Gholamreza Soleimani.
Targeting Intel Minister
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israeli killed the Iranian Intelligence Minister, Esmail Khatib, in a strike in Tehran on Tuesday night, reported CNN.
In a situation assessment on Wednesday morning, Katz noted that “significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all the fronts,” without giving details.
The US Treasury imposed sanctions on Iran’s Intelligence Ministry in 2022 for “engaging in cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies.”
It accused Khatib of “directing several networks of cyber threat actors involved in cyber espionage and ransomware attacks in support of Iran’s political goals.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that the Iranian Intelligence Ministry has “advanced intelligence capabilities, overseeing surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against Israeli and Iranian citizens.”
It also added that Khatib “played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest & killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis & Americans around the world.”
Eliminating Top Leaders
Khatib’s assassination marks the latest in a series of targeted killings of Iran’s senior leadership. Katz said he had authorized the military to kill any other senior Iranian officials without the need for additional approval.
“I have authorized the (Israeli military) to neutralize any senior Iranian official once an operational and intelligence opportunity arises – without the need for additional approval,” Katz said.
On Tuesday, Israel announced the killing of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and the head of Basij forces Gholamreza Soleimani in deadly airstrikes in Tehran.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has confirmed the death of Larijani, one of the country’s most powerful figures, along with his son Morteza Larijani and the head of his office, Alireza Bayat, as well as several guards.
Israel killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, alongside several top-tier commanders, at the onset of the ongoing war on February 28.
Iranian Revenge
Iran vowed strong retaliation for the killing of Larijani, launching “intense” attacks against Israel. Commander-in-chief of Iran’s army, Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami, said Iran’s response to Larijani’s death will be “decisive and regrettable,” reported the state-affiliated Tasnim news agency.
On Wednesday, Iran launched barrages of drones and multiple-warhead missiles across multiple areas in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, killing two people and causing significant property damage.
Tasnim news agency published a video of missiles Iran fired at Tel Aviv, including the Khorramshahr-4 – which can be equipped with up to 80 small bomblets, according to experts.
Furthermore, Iran’s army spokesperson Amir Akraminia said on Wednesday that Iran has been deploying weapons “not used before” in its war against the US and Israel.
“We have used weaponry in this war that we have not used before and we will use more of those in the coming days and you are seeing the news around their impact,” he said in an interview on state TV.
Iranian System Unaffected
Despite speculations about the impact of Larijani’s assassination on Iran’s political leadership, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi affirmed that Tehran has a strong political structure that does not depend on a single individual.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi said that targeted killings will not affect Iran’s “very solid” political structure. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions. The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure,” he noted.
He added that the “system continued its work and immediately provided a replacement” after the killing of Iran’s most senior figure, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
