Four Israeli officials have confirmed that Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani was among the targets of overnight military strikes conducted by Israeli forces across Iran, though his current status remains unknown.
The officials speaking to Reuters said it remains unclear whether Larijani was killed or wounded in the attacks that took place last night.
Iranian authorities have yet to issue any statement regarding these reports.
Should Larijani’s death be verified, he would represent the highest-ranking Iranian official eliminated since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who perished on the conflict’s opening day.
A former nuclear negotiator who maintained close ties with Khamenei, Larijani was publicly observed in Tehran on Friday participating in Quds Day demonstrations.
That same Friday, the United States announced a bounty of up to $10 million for intelligence on top Iranian military and security leaders, with Larijani among ten individuals connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the list.
Israeli news sources have also reported that the strikes aimed at Gholamreza Soleimani, who leads the Basij Resistance Force, along with other high-ranking Basij commanders, though the results of these operations are still under evaluation.
