Israel’s defence minister says the Israeli military has killed Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, in an overnight strike. Iran has not confirmed his death, and state-linked outlets have circulated a handwritten message attributed to him, adding to uncertainty around the claim.
Larijani was last seen publicly at a Quds Day march in Tehran on Friday, according to reports tracking his recent appearances.
Israel describes Larijani as a top regime figure
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) portrayed Larijani as a senior pillar of Iran’s leadership structure. Israeli statements also suggested he played a central role in Iran’s wartime decision-making following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a claim that sharply escalates the political significance of the reported strike.
Israel’s defence minister also said another senior Iranian figure, Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, was killed in a separate strike.
Iran has not confirmed, as a handwritten note circulates
Iranian state media has not issued an official confirmation of Larijani’s death. Instead, outlets published a photo of a handwritten message said to be from him, which also appeared on his social media accounts.
Reports said the message appeared linked to a funeral commemoration for Iranian sailors killed earlier this month, raising questions about when it was written and posted.
A regional war with widening flashpoints
The reported strike comes as the conflict continues to ripple across the region. In Iraq, drones and rockets were launched toward the US embassy in Baghdad in what was described as the second such attack since the war began, with Iraqi security sources and international reporting pointing to heightened risks around diplomatic sites.
In the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates briefly closed its airspace due to missile and drone threats linked to Iran, before reopening and resuming flights, according to officials and international aviation updates.
What to watch next
The immediate question is verification. If Iran confirms Larijani’s death, it would mark another major hit to the upper ranks of Tehran’s security leadership at a moment of intense military pressure. For now, the gap between Israel’s statements and Iran’s public messaging leaves the claim unresolved, even as attacks and alerts across Iraq and the Gulf underline how quickly the war is expanding beyond the main battlefield.
