The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has explained how it killed Iran’s Intelligence Minister, Esmail Khatib.
The IDF said the Iranian leader was killed in a targeted overnight strike in Tehran, as the escalating conflict in the Middle East entered its 19th day on Wednesday.
In a statement posted on X, the IDF said Khatib was eliminated during a precision operation, describing him as a key figure in Iran’s intelligence and security apparatus.
“Esmail Khatib, the Iranian terrorist regime’s minister of intelligence, was eliminated in a targeted strike in Tehran,” the IDF said.
The Israeli military accused Khatib of playing a major role in suppressing recent protests in Iran, including actions during the Mahsa Amini protests, and of overseeing operations against Israeli and American interests globally.
It added that Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence maintains extensive capabilities in surveillance, espionage, and covert operations both domestically and internationally.
The reported killing comes a day after Israel said it had also eliminated senior Iranian official Ali Larijani. However, the Iranian government has yet to officially confirm or comment on Khatib’s alleged death.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its offensive against Hezbollah, launching fresh airstrikes on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. One explosion reportedly destroyed a building in the city center, an area known for commercial activity rather than Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut.
In response, Iran and allied militia groups have carried out retaliatory strikes across the region. In Israel, at least two people were reported killed in Tel Aviv, while explosions and drone interceptions were recorded in multiple countries, including Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, the United States military said it deployed bunker-busting “deep penetrator” bombs targeting Iranian missile facilities along the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial global oil transit route that has reportedly been disrupted since the conflict began on February 28.
The ongoing hostilities have significantly heightened regional tensions, with reports indicating that more than 49 senior Iranian figures have been killed since the start of the war.
