In brief
Iran's intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, has been killed in an Israeli airstrike, leaving the country in mourning. This assassination follows the death of several other senior Iranian officials and is part of a broader strategy by Israel to target Iran's leadership amid escalating tensions. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has condemned the attack as a cowardly act, while voices within Iran suggest this could be a potential turning point for protests against the regime.
Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib has been killed, the country's president has confirmed.
Masoud Pezeshkian said the cowardly assassination had left Iran in deep mourning, after Israel said on Wednesday it had killed Khatib in an air strike.
This comes a day after Israel announced it had killed Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the paramilitary Basij force, Gholamreza Soleimani, in strikes. Since the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of war, multiple senior Iranian officials and commanders have been killed in efforts by Israel and the US to weaken the regime's leadership.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian extended his condolences to the Iranian people over the officials' deaths, adding he was certain their path will continue more steadfastly than before.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israel's defense minister announced that Khatib had been eliminated in a strike on Tehran. Israel has maintained that it will continue to target Iranian officials considered instrumental in supporting the regime's oppressive actions.
Khatib, who was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022, was appointed by former President Ebrahim Raisi and had a significant role in Iran's intelligence community.
The repercussions of the ongoing conflict have resulted in numerous civilian casualties, while Iranian authorities reported that more than 1,300 people have died since the start of the war. In retaliation, Iran has conducted strikes across the Middle East, escalating tensions and impacting not only the region but the global oil market.
