Iran security chief Ali Larijani killed, claims Israeli defence minister

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said on Tuesday that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani had been killed in an Israeli strike.

Katz said that Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij paramilitary force, was also killed in a separate strike overnight.

There was no immediate confirmation from Iran. 

The defence minister said Larijani and Soleimani had "joined Khamenei, the head of the annihilation programme, along with all those eliminated from the axis of evil in the depths of hell".

Minutes after Katz's announcement, a handwritten note from Larijani was published on his Telegram account. In the note, he paid tribute to 84 Iranian sailors who had been killed recently in the Indian Ocean, ahead of a funeral ceremony a day later. 

“The martyrdom of the brave naval forces of the Islamic Republic Army in Dena is part of the sacrifices of the valiant nation, which has emerged in this critical time of struggle against international oppressors,” the note read.

At least 84 Iranian sailors were killed on 4 March when the IRIS Dena vessel was torpedoed by a US submarine.

“Their memory will always remain in the hearts of the Iranian people, and these martyrdoms will strengthen the foundation of the Islamic Republic Army for years within the structure of the armed forces,” the note from Larijani's account read. “I ask Almighty God for the highest ranks for these dear martyrs.”

The note was also posted on Larijani's X account. His most recent post before that was 13 hours earlier, late on Monday night. 

Larijani is one of the most influential figures in the Islamic Republic, and has been viewed as a de facto leader for the past two weeks since the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader.

On Friday, he was seen on the streets of Tehran taking part in a mass rally for Al-Quds Day.

A day later, the US offered a reward of up to $10m for information on senior Iranian officials, including Larijani, in a list of 10 figures it linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Israeli military said it targeted and killed Soleimani, the commander of the Basij, in a strike overnight.

It said Soleimani was targeted at a tent camp that the Basij had recently set up, after several of their headquarters had been struck by Israeli forces. 

The attack also killed the paramilitary’s deputy commander and other top officials, Israel’s military added. 

Meanwhile, the military also said it targeted Akram al-Ajouri, a top leader in Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), in a strike several days ago in Iran. 

It said that Ajouri was likely killed in the strike, but that it was still working to confirm this. 

Ajouri is head of the al-Quds Brigades, PIJ's armed wing, which is active in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. 

Later on Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister's office published an image of the premier on the phone, with a caption reading: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders the elimination of senior figures in the Iranian regime.”