&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Operated against Iranian citizens during protests': Israel claims killing of Iran intel minister Esmail Khatib")
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was "eliminated" in a strike overnight. There has been no confirmation from Iran regarding Khatib's reported death. Katz said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the military to kill any other senior Iranian official being targeted without the need for additional approval. This comes a day after Iran confirmed that security chief Ali Larijani and Basij forces chief Gholamreza Soleimani were killed in Israeli strikes.
Israeli Defence Forces claimed, “Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest & killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis & Americans around the world. Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests (2022–2023). The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence possesses advanced intelligence capabilities, overseeing surveillance, espionage, and the execution of covert operations worldwide, particularly against Israeli and Iranian citizens.”
Earlier in the day, Iran insisted that its political system and structure is strong and it won't be shaken by the demise of officials. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in an interview said that top officials death will not be a setback for Iran’s government. His statement is the first statement by any Iranian government official after country Supreme National Security Council confirmed Larijani's death. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that its missiles have “successfully hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of” Israel in response to the killing of Larijani and his companions.
Speaking to Al Jazeera in an interview, Araghchi said, “I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions. The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure.” He added, “Of course, individuals are influential, and each person plays their role – some better, some worse, some less – but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure.” He also blamed the Americans for destruction in the Gulf nations.
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(Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.)
