Israeli officials report the death of senior Iranian official Ali Larijani

On March 17, 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the death of Ali Larijani, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, following an overnight airstrike in Tehran. Larijani, a long-time diplomat and former parliamentary speaker who was appointed to his security role in August 2025, was reported killed alongside the commander of the Basij militia, Gholamreza Soleimani. While Israeli officials claim the operation was a decisive strike against the regime's leadership, the Iranian government has not officially confirmed Larijani's death, with some state-linked sources attempting to refute the reports. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar noted that the operation was carried out after the U.S. had previously placed a $10 million bounty on Larijani's head. The strike follows the earlier reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei amidst an ongoing conflict. Reports also indicate uncertainty regarding the status of Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Akram al-Ajouri following concurrent military operations in the region.