Israeli strikes in Tehran target top Iranian security figures

Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz said the Israeli military had killed Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary forces, in overnight air strikes in Tehran.

Iran did not immediately confirm the claims. State media instead published a handwritten message attributed to Larijani concerning the funeral of Iranian sailors killed in a recent US attack.

The Basij is a paramilitary force subordinate to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is frequently used by the authorities to suppress protests. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli leader had ordered the ‘elimination of senior figures of the Iranian regime’.

Fighting between Israel and Iran is continuing on multiple fronts. Iran launched another missile attack on Israel overnight and is also reported to have struck targets in Gulf states, adding to rising energy prices and increasing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

(Reuters, Lud)