Esmail Khatib named as third Iran official killed by Israel in 48 hours

In a dramatic escalation of its shadow war with Iran, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Wednesday, March 18, that Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, has been killed.

However, there’s no confirmation from Iranian officials yet.

If confirmed, the assassination marks the third elimination of an Iranian top official in just 48 hours.

The announcement was made following Israeli air strikes on Tuesday, March 17, which reportedly killed Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij paramilitary force.

On Wednesday, March 18, the funerals of both leaders were also held.

Katz said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have given the Israeli military permission to eliminate other senior Iranian officials without needing approval, suggesting that the current pace of action is likely to continue.

After the news of back-to-back assassinations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the government does not rely on a single individual.

Responding to the loss of individuals, Iran has launched retaliatory missile attacks, raising fears that the tension in the region can escalate further.