Israel claims third high-level Iranian assassination as tensions escalate

Israel says it has killed Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, in what could mark the latest in a series of high-level assassinations targeting Tehran’s leadership. The claim, announced by Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday, has not been confirmed by Iranian authorities.

If verified, the strike would represent the third killing of a senior Iranian official in just two days, following Israeli attacks that Tehran says killed security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani on Tuesday.

Funeral ceremonies for Larijani and Soleimani were held in Tehran on Wednesday, according to state media, as officials and mourners gathered to pay tribute. Even as the losses mount, Iran’s leadership has sought to project stability. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi argued that the country’s political system is not dependent on individual figures.

In an interview aired after Larijani’s death was confirmed, Araghchi said the United States and Israel had yet to understand that Iran’s system can absorb such blows.

From the Israeli perspective, however, the pattern of strikes signals something more deliberate. Israeli officials say they have recently gathered intelligence enabling them to target senior Iranian figures in rapid succession.

Katz also indicated that Israel is preparing for a sustained campaign. He said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorised the military to target additional senior Iranian officials without requiring case-by-case approval, effectively lowering the threshold for future strikes.

Details about Khatib’s alleged killing remain limited, but analysts describe him as a key figure within Iran’s intelligence apparatus and closely connected to the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

The broader context underscores how quickly the confrontation has intensified. The United States has also stepped up pressure, with the State Department offering a $10m reward for information on Iran’s new leadership, including Khatib.