Israel’s Minister of Defence said on Tuesday that Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was killed during an overnight strike on Tehran.
The minister said the attack targeted senior figures within Iran’s security leadership amid rising tensions between the two countries.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated last night and have joined Khamenei, the head of the annihilation program, along with all those eliminated from the axis of evil in the depths of hell,” Israel Katz said in a statement. “The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to continue pursuing the leadership of the terror and oppression regime in Iran, and to repeatedly cut off the head of the octopus and prevent it from regrowing.”
“The IDF continues to operate in Iran with great intensity, targeting regime assets, suppressing missile-launch capabilities, and destroying key strategic infrastructure across all domains, setting Iran back decades,” Katz continued.
Meanwhile, the United States Department of State has announced a reward of up to $10 million and possible relocation to the United States for Iranian citizens who provide information on the whereabouts of 10 Iranian leaders.
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In a statement released on Friday, the department said anyone with knowledge of the officials’ locations can submit tips through a Tor browser tip line or the secure Signal messaging application.
The men being sought are described as key leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the US government designates as a terrorist organisation.
The statement reads, “These individuals command and direct various elements of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which plans, organizes, and executes terrorism around the world.
“If you have information on these or other key IRGC leaders or its component branches, send it to us via our Tor-based tipline or Signal. Your information could make you eligible for relocation and a reward.”
Among those named on the list are Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and National Security Adviser Ali Larijani.
Other figures listed include Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.