Jerusalem, March 17, 2026 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that Israel carried out a targeted airstrike inside Iran, eliminating Ali Larijani, the country’s top security official and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, along with Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary force.
In a televised national address, Netanyahu declared: “This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani, the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gang of gangsters that actually runs Iran.” He framed the operation as part of a broader strategy to weaken Tehran’s leadership.
Netanyahu added that the strikes aim to undermine the Iranian regime “in the hope of giving the Iranian people a chance to remove it.” He cautioned that regime change “will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this — we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands.” The prime minister warned of “many more surprises” ahead, signaling potential further operations.
Israel’s Defense Minister and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the killings, describing Larijani and Soleimani as two of Iran’s most senior remaining officials after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28. The overnight airstrikes targeted sites in or near Tehran.
Larijani, a veteran politician and former parliamentary speaker, had risen to become Iran’s de facto security chief and a close confidant of the supreme leader. Israeli officials portrayed him as central to the Revolutionary Guards’ operations and internal repression.
Iranian authorities have not yet confirmed or commented on the deaths, as of the latest reports. The strikes mark another major escalation in the ongoing Iran-Israel war that erupted following Khamenei’s killing.
Netanyahu’s office stated he personally ordered the elimination of senior Iranian regime officials. The prime minister also noted close coordination with the United States under President Donald Trump.
The development comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Israel vowing to continue pressuring Iran through a mix of direct and indirect actions. Analysts view the targeted killings as an attempt to dismantle Iran’s command structure and encourage internal dissent.
This is a developing story. Iranian reactions and potential retaliation remain unclear.
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