Israel says Iranian Intelligence Minister Khatib killed

TEL AVIV - Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was "eliminated" in a strike overnight.

There has been no confirmation from Iran regarding Khatib's reported death.

Katz said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the military to kill any other senior Iranian official being targeted without the need for additional approval. 

According to Katz's statement, the operation targeted Khatib, one of the regime's most powerful internal security apparatuses responsible for counterintelligence, suppressing dissent, and overseeing operations against perceived threats—including alleged Israeli networks inside Iran.

The strike follows closely on the heels of Israel's confirmed eliminations of other top figures, including Ali Larijani - Iran's security chief - widely regarded as a de facto leader after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death on February 28 and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij paramilitary force.

Israeli officials described Khatib's killing as a "major blow" to Iran's intelligence capabilities and command structure. Assessments from Israeli sources, including military briefings and media reports, indicate the minister was killed along with several senior aides during the precision strike on a Tehran facility. The IDF has not released detailed operational footage or evidence at this stage, but multiple Israeli outlets—including The Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel—cited officials confirming the success of the mission, which occurred Tuesday night.