Iran’s incumbent Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib (C) sits with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian (C-R) before a speech to members of parliament in the capital Tehran, on August 17, 2024, as he defends his cabinet selection.<\/p>\n
Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty Images<\/p>\n
Israel’s Defense Forces said Wednesday that Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib had been killed in a “targeted strike” in Tehran, marking the third assassination<\/a> of a high-ranking official in just two days.<\/p>\n It comes after Israel said Tuesday that Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani and the commander of Iran’s Basij forces, Gholamreza Soleimani, had both been killed. Iran’s official judiciary news agency later confirmed the killing of Soleimani, the AP reported.<\/p>\n Iran has not yet commented on the report.<\/p>\n “Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest & killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis & Americans around the world,” the IDF said<\/a> in a post on social media.<\/p>\n “Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (2022\u20132023),” they added. <\/p>\n The IDF said Khatib was appointed to his position in 2021 by Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in strikes<\/a> aimed at high-ranking Iranian officials at the beginning of the war on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n Iran has since retaliated by attacking its Gulf neighbors and targeting ships trying to pass through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.<\/p>\n