Iran’s then incumbent Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib (C) sits with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian (C-R) before a speech to members of parliament in the capital Tehran, on August 17, 2024, as he defends his cabinet selection.
Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty Images
Israel’s Defense Forces said Wednesday that Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in a “targeted strike” in Tehran, marking the third assassination of a high-ranking official in just two days.
“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,” the IDF said in a post on social media.
“Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (2022–2023),” they added.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “nothing has been announced” when asked about reports of Khatib’s death. They added that the relevant officials would provide a statement.
It comes after Israel said Tuesday that Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani and the commander of Iran’s Basij forces, Gholamreza Soleimani, had both been killed. Iran’s official judiciary news agency later confirmed the killing of Soleimani, the Associated Press reported.
According to AP, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council released a statement confirming Larijani was killed “along with his son Morteza Larijani and the head of his office, Alireza Bayat, as well as several guards.”
The IDF said Khatib was appointed to his position in 2021 by Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in strikes aimed at high-ranking Iranian officials at the beginning of the war on Feb. 28.
Iran has since retaliated by attacking its Gulf neighbors and targeting ships trying to pass through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. and Israeli-led war against Iran entered its 19th day on Wednesday, with Israel launching a series of strikes on Lebanon’s capital of Beirut as it continues its offensive against Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Iran and its allied military groups have launched a series of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, amplifying fears of a sprawling regional crisis.
