Israel said on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, that it had killed Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, in a fresh strike, in what would mark a major escalation in the conflict if confirmed.
Israeli officials had earlier said Larijani was targeted but that his fate remained unclear. Later, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Larijani had been killed.
Israel also said Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of Iran’s Basij force, was killed in the same wave of attacks.
Iranian authorities had not confirmed either death at the time of reporting.
The development points to a sharp widening of Israel’s campaign against senior Iranian figures and adds to rising regional tension over security and oil flows in the Gulf.
