Iran on Wednesday confirmed the death of its powerful national security chief, Ali Larijani, following Israeli claims that he was killed in an airstrike. Israel also vowed to track down and “neutralise” Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Meanwhile, Iran’s army chief, Amir Hatami, warned of imminent retaliation, describing the expected response as “decisive and regrettable.”
The killing marks a significant blow to Iran’s leadership, coming less than three weeks after the death of long-time supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in joint US-Israeli strikes that triggered a wider conflict across the Middle East.
The assassination occurred amid rising tensions in the region. Iran’s parliamentary leadership warned that shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz would not return to pre-war conditions, while US President Donald Trump criticised allies for refusing to assist in escorting oil tankers through the contested waterway.
Larijani, a close ally of the late supreme leader, played a key role in directing Iran’s retaliatory military strategy.
“After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and of the Islamic Revolution, he ultimately attained his long-held aspiration, answered the divine call, and honourably achieved the sweet grace of martyrdom in the trench of service,” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in a statement.
Israel’s military reiterated its intention to eliminate Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed leadership following his father’s death on February 28.
“We don’t know about Mojtaba Khamenei; we don’t hear him, we don’t see him. But I can tell you one thing: we will track him down, find him, and neutralise him,” said military spokesman Effie Defrin.
‘Right-Hand Man’
In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Larijani as “the boss of the Revolutionary Guards”, alleging he played a central role in governing Iran.
Netanyahu also suggested that internal political change in Iran could follow prolonged pressure. “It will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this — we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands,” he said.
While Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since assuming power, Larijani, 68, was recently seen attending a pro-government rally in Tehran. According to analyst David Khalfa, Larijani had effectively overseen Iran’s regional strategy and defence operations.
“It’s the supreme leader who gives the order, but he is the one who carries it out. He is the right-hand man,” Khalfa said.
Shortly after Israel announced his death, Larijani’s official social media accounts published a handwritten message honouring Iranian sailors killed in a US submarine strike earlier this month.
State television later showed large crowds gathering in Tehran and other cities, many waving national flags on a night traditionally marked by celebrations ahead of Nowruz.
Iranian media reported that Larijani’s funeral, along with that of Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force, who was also killed in an Israeli strike, would be held in central Tehran on Wednesday morning.
Israel said it had targeted Basij positions around Tehran and confirmed Soleimani’s death, a claim later acknowledged by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. It also reported striking Akram al-Ajouri, a senior figure in the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Since the October 7 attacks, Israel has pursued a strategy of targeting senior leadership figures among its adversaries, a policy that has drawn international criticism. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described such assassinations as “truly illegal”.
Trump Criticises Allies
Iran has responded to the escalating conflict by targeting US-aligned Gulf states and effectively restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
“The Strait of Hormuz situation won’t return to its pre-war status,” said parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Oil prices surged as several countries resisted calls from Trump to deploy naval forces to secure the waterway.
Trump criticised NATO for declining to participate, calling the decision a “foolish mistake” and asserting that the United States could manage the situation independently.
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need’, or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
