Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in Tehran, Iran, May 21, 2024. VAHID SALEMI / AP
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday, March 18, that the country's forces had killed Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, adding that the military was authorized to kill any high-ranking Iranian official in its sights without seeking further approval. "Last night Iran's Intelligence Minister Khatib was also eliminated," Katz said in a statement.
The killing of Khatib comes soon after Israel killed Iran's powerful security chief, Ali Larijani, and another powerful figure, Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force. The US State Department offered a $10 million reward on Friday for information about Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and other top officials, including Khatib.
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Mojtaba Khamenei, a new supreme leader consolidating the power of Iran's conservative factions
