Israel says Iran's security chief Ali Larijani killed in strike, Tehran unconfirmed

Tel Aviv (The Uttam Hindu): Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has claimed that Iran's National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani was killed in a missile attack. However, Iran has not confirmed this claim. The military has released a note written by Larijani.

Earlier, the Israeli military (IDF) confirmed that it had targeted Larijani. According to leading Israeli daily, 'The Times of Israel', Israeli Defense Minister Katz said on Tuesday that the Israeli army had killed Iran's security chief and the head of its Basij militia in overnight airstrikes. Katz said in a statement that he was informed by the army that Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, had been killed.

Meanwhile, a handwritten note by Larijani has circulated from his X account, paying tribute to the Iranian sailors killed in the US attack. The note has also been shared on various platforms affiliated with Iranian state media. There was no immediate comment from Tehran on Katz's remarks. If confirmed, Larijani would be the most senior Iranian official to be killed since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on February 28, the day before the Israeli-US air strike.

Meanwhile, Reuters, based on conversations with four Israeli officials, said that it was not immediately clear whether he was killed or injured. Officials said Larijani was one of the targets Israeli forces targeted in strikes across Iran on Tuesday night. Larijani, a former nuclear negotiator and considered close to Khamenei, was seen participating in Quds Day rallies in Tehran on Friday. Meanwhile, the IDF also said that Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij resistance force, and other senior Basij officials were also killed in these attacks.