Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, was killed in an Israeli strike carried out overnight on Wednesday, March 18. His death was first reported by Israel and later confirmed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
A day earlier, Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani was killed.
According to CNN, he could be succeeded by Saeed Jalili—a figure associated with the most hardline and openly anti-Western faction of Iran’s leadership. His potential appointment would signal a marked tightening of Tehran’s political course.