Israel claims killing of Iran’s top security chief, Basij leader in targeted strikes
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: Israel has claimed that Ali Larijani, one of Iran’s most powerful civilian figures, was killed in a targeted strike, marking a major escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Larijani, who served as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was “eliminated” on Monday, March 16, night.
He also claimed that the head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force was killed in the same wave of strikes.
Israel vows continued decapitation strategy against Iranian leadership
Katz said Israel would continue targeting Iran’s leadership, describing the campaign as an effort to dismantle what he called a “terror and repression regime.”
“The prime minister and I have instructed the IDF to continue hunting the leadership… and repeatedly sever the head of the octopus,” he said.
An Israeli military official claimed Larijani had effectively become Iran’s top decision-maker following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, alleging he was directing military operations against Israel and Gulf Arab states.
Iran silent on Ali Larijani's death
Iran has not officially confirmed Larijani’s death. However, Iran’s state-linked Tasnim news agency published a purported handwritten note attributed to him, dated March 17, mourning navy personnel killed in recent attacks, raising questions over Israel’s claim.
Larijani, long seen as a key power broker in Tehran, was considered a close ally of Khamenei and a central figure in Iran’s security establishment.
IDF says Basij chief also killed
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) separately claimed it had killed Gholamreza Soleimani, head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, in a targeted strike.
The military described his killing as a “significant blow” to Iran’s internal security and command-and-control systems. It did not disclose the location of the strike.
Several other senior Basij leaders may also have been killed.
The Basij, a volunteer militia under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), plays a critical role in enforcing domestic security, suppressing dissent, and mobilizing civilian support for the Iranian regime.
Soleimani, appointed by Khamenei in 2019, oversaw the force during major anti-government protests, including the 2019 demonstrations.
He had been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom over alleged human rights violations.
As with Larijani, Iranian authorities have not confirmed the reported killing of Soleimani, leaving the Israeli claims unverified amid the intensifying conflict.
