Top Official in Iranian Regime, Larijani, Targeted by IDF, Basij Commander Confirmed Dead
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday confirmed it carried out strikes targeting senior Iranian official Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, along with other senior Islamic Jihad figures, in what move that could disrupt Iran’s leadership structure.
Later in the morning, The Jerusalem Post reported that Soleimani was killed together with his deputy, Karishi, after the two were located in a tent area where they had sought shelter to avoid detection. The status of Larijani remained unclear, though reports of the attempted assassination have fueled speculation that he may have been killed or seriously wounded.
Larijani has played a central role in Iran’s leadership, particularly following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed as leader, has been absent and is rumored to have been seriously injured in an Israeli strike.
Give the gift of hope
We practice what we preach:
accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone.
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
Join us.
Support The Media Line. Save democracy.
On March 1, Larijani announced that he would head an interim committee tasked with governing Iran, though the extent of his authority has remained uncertain. In recent weeks, he has served as a prominent public figure for Tehran, frequently responding to statements by US President Donald Trump during the conflict.
Larijani previously held several senior positions, including Islamic Revolutionary Guards commander, speaker of parliament, and national security council chief. Despite being disqualified from running for president in 2021 to pave the way for Ebrahim Raisi’s election and falling out of favor for a period, he has since regained influence.
His standing grew following the assassination of Khamenei and the elimination of other senior Iranian officials during the current conflict and a previous round of fighting in the summer of 2025. He was widely viewed as second in command while Khamenei was alive and played a key role in overseeing Iran’s security affairs and nuclear negotiations with the United States.
If Larijani has effectively been leading Iran in recent weeks, his removal or incapacitation could have significant implications for the country’s leadership structure.
