Top Iranian leaders Ali Larijani, Gholamreza Soleimani killed in strikes, Israel says
Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani, and the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij militia, Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, were both killed in overnight strikes in new blows to the country’s leadership, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday. Meanwhile, Tehran has launched more missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel.
Iranian figures Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani have both been killed: Israel defense minister
Top Iranian official Ali Larijani, and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani were both killed overnight, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Larijani was targeted in an Israeli strike, a senior Israeli Official told Fox News.
And multiple Basij figures were targeted in an effort involving the U.S. and Israel, according to a senior Israeli official.
“Over a dozen Basij officials were targeted in Iran last night in different strikes, including the head of the Basij forces Gholamreza Soleimani. This was a joint U.S. and Israeli effort,” the official noted. "A strike in Tehran targeted the Basij commander and around a dozen others, including the most senior figures in the Basij forces—people with a lot of blood on their hands."
The killings come more than two weeks into the war effort against the Islamic Republic being waged by the U.S. and Israel.
Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report
What is the Iranian Basij, internal security force whose commander was killed?
The Iranian Basij, a volunteer paramilitary force, was founded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 as a "twenty-million-man army" to defend the Islamic Republic, according to the federally funded United States Institute of Peace.
The force consists of three main armed branches that defend neighborhoods and handle security threats, and multiple other branches specializing as counterweights to non-governmental organizations in different parts of society, including the Student Basij, Labor Basij and Guild Basij.
The force is frequently accused of manipulating elections, acting on behalf of the Supreme Leader and conservative factions.
The Basij is instrumental in suppressing domestic dissent in Iran, having previously cracked down on the 1999 student protests and the 2009 Green Movement.
The Israeli military has called the Basij an “armed apparatus of the Iranian terror regime” that led the main repression operation during recent protests in Iran, “employing severe violence, widespread arrests and the use of force against civilian demonstrators.”
The force also acts as a tool to police morals in Iran, enforcing Islamic dress codes and social behaviors, particularly targeting women and youth.
Men, women and even children as young as 12 years old have previously volunteered in the force. In recent years, however, it is believed most members are between high school age and their mid-30s.
In 2008, the Basij was formally integrated into the IRGC Ground Forces to improve its command and control.
The force has sometimes faced internal struggles as some local Basij members were reportedly reluctant to use violence against their own neighbors, forcing the regime to bus in members from other regions, according to the United States Institute of Peace.
The Basij was under the command of Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, who Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed was killed in overnight strikes on Tuesday.
Killing Soleimani would likely further strain the command and control of the Basij, which would be crucial in putting down any uprising against the theocracy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CENTCOM says US forces continue ‘to hunt and destroy’ Iranian threats
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday shared new video of strikes on Iranian targets as the war against the regime entered day 18.
The footage shows what appears to be a compilation of multiple airstrikes on Iranian targets, which are decimated in fiery explosions.
“U.S. forces continue to hunt and destroy Iranian targets that pose threats to Americans and Iran's neighbors,” CENTCOM wrote.
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