Israel claims it killed Iran's intelligence minister

Israel said it had killed Iran's inteligence minister, Esmail Khatib, warning that Israeli attacks would escalate.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced the killing in a statement on Wednesday during a meeting with senior military officials.

"Today we expect significant surprises in all arenas, which will escalate the war we are waging against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon," Katz said at the meeting.

"The intensity of the attacks in Iran is increasing. Iranian Intelligence Minister Khatib was also eliminated tonight."

He added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he had authorised the Israeli army "to assassinate any senior Iranian official ... without the need for additional approval".

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