Israel officially announces assassination of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib in Tehran strike

What happened last night in Tehran was no routine strike. The missiles that shook the capital didn't just target military installations; they went deep into the heart of the regime. A short while ago, Israel Katz came forward to announce what, for weeks, had only been whispered behind closed doors: the assassination of Iran's Intelligence Minister, Esmaeil Khatib.

Katz was unequivocal in his statement, declaring that Khatib had been "eliminated" overnight in an operation described as part of a new approach towards the ruling elite in Tehran. The man who had held this post since 2021, appointed directly by the Supreme Leader, was no ordinary government official. He was the "cornerstone" of the regime's internal security. A cleric who rose through the ranks of the Revolutionary Guards, he was a founding member of the Guards' intelligence apparatus in the 1980s, and subsequently moved through a series of sensitive roles: head of security at the Imam Reza shrine, a senior supervisor in Khamenei's office, and director of the Information Protection Centre in the judiciary. In short, he was the man who knew all the secrets of Iran's domestic front.

The announcement of Khatib's assassination came just hours after Tehran confirmed the deaths of the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, and the commander of the Basij force, Gholamreza Soleimani. Three successive blows to the heart of the Iranian establishment. Whispers in the corridors of Tel Aviv suggest the military has been granted unprecedented authority to target any senior Iranian official "without needing further approval" from the political leadership.

• First operation: The assassination of Ali Larijani, the second-in-command in the security decision-making hierarchy.
• Second operation: The targeting of Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij (mobilisation) forces.
• Third operation: The elimination of Esmaeil Khatib, the Minister of Intelligence.

The Iranian military response was not long in coming; Tehran launched a barrage of missiles towards Israel, which, according to official statements, resulted in two deaths near Tel Aviv. But the bigger question remains unanswered: how will Iran retaliate for the targeting of its top security echelon on home soil?

A striking detail in the profile of Esmaeil Khatib is that he was a controversial figure even beyond Iran's borders. In September 2022, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on him, accusing him of involvement in cyber-attacks against Albania, which was hosting members of the Iranian opposition. He was one of Khamenei's inner circle, considered a hardline hawk managing the most sensitive security files, including countering Israeli infiltration within Iran itself.

The situation is now heading down an increasingly complex path. With these strikes, Israel is sending a clear message that, as Katz put it, "no one in Iran is immune." In response, holding funerals for three of the most prominent security leaders on a single day will be a real test of internal cohesion in Tehran, amid Israeli calls—such as those from Avigdor Lieberman—to keep their "foot on the accelerator" until the regime falls.

On the ground, the situation isn't confined to Tehran. Reports from Lorestan province indicate seven dead and 56 wounded in an attack on residential areas, while US Central Command has confirmed the use of bunker-buster bombs near the Strait of Hormuz, threatening one of the world's most crucial oil transit chokepoints.

The distance between Tehran and Tel Aviv feels shorter today than ever before—not in kilometres, but in the reach of missiles and the ability of intelligence agencies to penetrate the most sensitive details. Esmaeil Khatib has paid a heavy price, but the question now echoing through the corridors of power in major capitals is: who is next on the list of "big surprises" that Katz has promised?