Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib killed in air strike
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian vows response to assassinations
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep condolences after a series of targeted strikes he described as assassinations of senior officials, including Intelligence Minister Esmaeel Khatib, SNSC Secretary Ali Larijani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, along with family members and aides. In posts on X, Pezeshkian called the killings “cowardly,” vowed the nation would remain steadfast, and framed the events as part of an ongoing large‑scale US‑Israeli military campaign that began with the assassination of the country’s leader.
Khatib, who had served as Iran’s intelligence minister since 2021 and was considered a close ally of the country’s top leadership, was killed in a precision strike that Israeli officials said targeted key figures involved in security operations and intelligence activities. His death comes amid an intensified Israeli campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s military and intelligence structure through targeted assassinations of high-ranking officials.
Iranian authorities denounced the strikes and pledged decisive retaliation; the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported launching extensive airstrikes on over 100 targets in Tel Aviv in response.
