In a significant escalation of tensions across the Middle East, Israel announced on Tuesday that it had successfully eliminated Ali Larijani, Iran’s influential national security chief. This development, if confirmed, would represent a major setback for the Islamic Republic, which is already grappling with a series of targeted strikes and mounting regional instability. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that Larijani was “neutralized last night,” although Iranian authorities have yet to verify this claim.
The announcement came shortly after Israel’s military confirmed the death of Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij paramilitary force affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Soleimani was reportedly killed in a precision strike on Tehran on Monday. The Basij force has played a critical role in enforcing internal security and suppressing dissent, particularly during the recent wave of protests that shook Iran earlier this year.
These targeted killings follow a series of dramatic events that have intensified the conflict between Israel, Iran, and their respective allies. Less than three weeks ago, on February 28, coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989. His death triggered widespread speculation and uncertainty, with his son Mojtaba Khamenei stepping into the leadership role amid rumors about his health and whereabouts. US President Donald Trump acknowledged the ambiguity surrounding Khamenei’s status, stating, “we don’t know… if he’s dead or not.” The ongoing conflict has resulted in hundreds of casualties and displaced millions, particularly in Lebanon and Iran, while also driving global oil prices upward due to disruptions in key shipping routes.
Following the strikes, oil prices surged by more than five percent early Tuesday, as several nations resisted US demands to increase their protection of maritime traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. This narrow waterway is a crucial artery for the transport of crude oil and liquefied natural gas, making it a focal point of regional tensions. The recent attacks on vessels navigating this route have heightened fears of further disruptions to global energy supplies.
Israel’s military detailed the operation against Soleimani, emphasizing the precision and intelligence-led nature of the strike. The Basij force, which Soleimani commanded for six years, has been instrumental in the regime’s crackdown on mass protests that erupted across Iran in January. These demonstrations, unprecedented in scale, challenged the clerical establishment and were met with severe repression, resulting in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, human rights organizations.
Alongside the military’s confirmation, Israeli media outlets reported that Larijani was also targeted in an assassination attempt during the same period. Public broadcaster Kan described Larijani as the “target of an assassination attempt,” while other sources indicated that the outcome of the strike was still under review. The Israeli military’s chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, highlighted “significant preventive achievements” overnight, underscoring the ongoing campaign to dismantle Iran’s strategic leadership.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a photograph of the premier engaged in a phone call, captioned with a statement that he had ordered the elimination of senior Iranian regime figures. This imagery signals Israel’s commitment to intensifying its efforts against Iran’s leadership amid the escalating conflict.
The broader Gulf region has not been spared from the fallout. On Tuesday, drone and missile attacks continued unabated against US-linked targets, including a strike on the US embassy in Baghdad. Early in the day, a drone and rocket assault targeted the embassy complex, causing black smoke to rise and prompting air defense systems to intercept additional incoming drones. These attacks have drawn Iraq deeper into the conflict, with a missile strike on a residence reportedly housing Iranian advisors killing four individuals, further complicating the security situation in the capital.
In Qatar’s capital, Doha, multiple explosions were heard on Tuesday, following similar blasts the previous day. The Gulf nation, along with others in the region, has faced a series of drone and missile attacks as Tehran escalates its retaliatory campaign against US and Israeli actions. The unrest highlights the widening scope of the conflict and its impact on regional stability.
Tragically, the violence has also affected civilians beyond the immediate war zones. In Abu Dhabi, falling debris from an intercepted ballistic missile claimed the life of a Pakistani national in the Bani Yas district, the government media office. Earlier, residents of Dubai were alerted to potential missile threats after three explosions were heard, prompting emergency responses and heightened security measures.
Adding to the maritime tensions, a tanker anchored off the coast of Oman was struck by an unidentified projectile. While the vessel sustained minor structural damage, no injuries were reported among the crew. The incident underscores the growing hazards faced by commercial shipping in the region amid ongoing hostilities.
On the military front, US Central Command revealed that approximately 200 American troops have been wounded across seven Middle Eastern countries since the onset of the US-Israel campaign against Iran. Most injuries are minor, with over 180 soldiers having already returned to duty, though 10 remain seriously wounded. These casualties have occurred in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, reflecting the widespread nature of the conflict. The Pentagon previously reported 13 US fatalities, including seven from attacks and six from a plane crash in Iraq.
Iraq’s involvement in the conflict has intensified, with the country becoming a proxy battleground between US and Iranian forces. The recent strike on a Baghdad residence, killing four people including two alleged Iranian advisors, highlights the precarious security environment. Additionally, a drone attack caused a fire on the roof of the luxury al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, which houses diplomatic missions including the US embassy. Although no casualties or significant damage were reported, the incident prompted a large security response and road closures.
Shortly after the hotel fire, air defenses intercepted a rocket attack targeting the US embassy, further illustrating the persistent threat to diplomatic and military installations in the region. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, dismissed social media commentary on the conflict, emphasizing that wars are decided on the battlefield rather than online. He also mocked the US military’s campaign name “Epic Fury,” suggesting it should be called “Epic Fear.”
Meanwhile, Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia group, announced the death of its security chief Haj Abu Ali al-Askari, who was reportedly killed in a recent strike in Baghdad. The group has not provided detailed information about the circumstances of his death, but the loss marks another significant casualty in the ongoing proxy warfare engulfing Iraq and the wider region.
