Israel claimed that it has “eliminated” the intelligence minister of Iran, Esmail Khatib.
According to Al Jazeera, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday, March 18, announced that Khatib has been killed in an overnight strike.
As per the comments provided by defence minister office, Katz said, “On this day, significant surprises are expected across all arenas that will escalate the war we are conducting against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon."
"The intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing. The Iranian intelligence minister Khatib was also eliminated overnight,” he added.
Katz asserted that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have “authorized the IDF to [eliminate] any senior Iranian figure… without the need for additional approval.”
Iran has not yet commented on the claim but if confirmed it would be third high-ranking Iranian leader assassination in just two days.
Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force, were killed in Israeli air strikes on Tuesday.
Larijani had been one of Iran’s most influential political operators, having previously led its nuclear negotiations with the West and served as speaker of parliament.
It is worth noting that the US State Department offered a $10 million reward on Friday for information about Iran’s new supreme leader and other top officials, including Khatib.
