Iran has suffered another major setback in its ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States, following the killing of its intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, in a targeted strike.
The development comes amid escalating hostilities and just days after the reported killing of Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, in a separate Israeli attack.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the operation, stating that top Iranian officials would continue to be targeted without hesitation.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to eliminate any senior Iranian official for whom the intelligence and operational circle has been closed, without the need for additional approval,” Katz said. “We will continue to thwart them and to hunt them all down.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Khatib’s killing, describing it as a “cowardly assassination.”
In response, Iran’s newly installed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei—who succeeded his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following his death in earlier strikes—vowed retaliation. In a message published on his official Telegram channel, he warned that those responsible would face consequences.
“Every drop of spilled blood comes at a price, and the criminal murderers of these martyrs will soon have to pay it,” he said.
Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since assuming leadership, fuelling speculation about his whereabouts amid the ongoing conflict.
Khatib’s funeral was held alongside those of Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force, and more than 80 Iranian sailors reportedly killed earlier this month when a frigate was struck near Sri Lanka. Mourners in Tehran carried coffins draped in Iranian flags, chanting and performing traditional Shia mourning rites.
Meanwhile, the United States has maintained that while Iran has been significantly weakened, its government remains functional. Speaking before the Senate Intelligence Committee, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the Iranian regime had been “largely degraded” but was still intact.
She also noted that Iran had not attempted to rebuild its nuclear enrichment capabilities following their destruction in a 2025 joint US-Israeli operation.
Despite mounting losses, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have intensified retaliatory actions, launching missile strikes into central Israel. Authorities reported casualties and damage in areas near Tel Aviv, including Ramat Gan, where a residential building was hit.
The conflict has expanded across the region, with fresh strikes reported in Iran, Lebanon, and parts of the Gulf. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes hit central Beirut after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel.
The war has also disrupted global energy supplies, with the Strait of Hormuz—a critical oil transit route—nearly shut. Oil prices surged after Iran threatened to target energy facilities across the Gulf, and Qatar confirmed a fire at a major gas installation following an attack.
As violence escalates, humanitarian concerns continue to grow, with hundreds reported killed and millions displaced across affected regions.
The situation remains fluid, with fears of a broader regional war intensifying.
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