Israel on Tuesday claimed that it has killed Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in a targeted operation, even as conflicting reports soon emerged regarding his status.
In a statement shared on X, the Israel Defense Forces described Larijani as one of the most senior figures in Iran’s leadership and a close associate of Ali Khamenei. The IDF claimed that Larijani had been “eliminated,” alleging that he played a key role in overseeing crackdowns on anti-government protests in Iran.
“Ali Larijani… was considered one of the most veteran and senior figures within the Iranian regime leadership,” the statement said, further accusing him of involvement in repression of civilians during recent protests.
However, shortly after the Israeli announcement, uncertainty arose when Larijani’s social media accounts shared a handwritten statement attributed to him. In the note, he referred to a funeral ceremony held on Tuesday for 84 Iranian sailors reportedly killed in a March 4 US attack on the warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka. The message suggested that Larijani may still be alive, casting doubt on Israel’s claims.
The development comes just days after Larijani was seen participating in an International Quds Day rally in Tehran on March 13.
Meanwhile, the IDF also announced that Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij unit, had been killed in a separate strike. The force accused him of leading violent crackdowns on demonstrators.
Israel further stated that it had targeted multiple Iranian military assets, including command centres, UAV facilities, ballistic missile sites, and air defence systems in cities such as Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz, amid escalating regional tensions.
