Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib Assassinated in Israeli Air Strike

Wed Mar 18 2026 19:41:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Esmail Khatib, Iran's intelligence minister, has been confirmed killed in a targeted air strike by Israel, deepening the ongoing conflict and rising tensions in the region.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed the assassination of Esmail Khatib, the country's intelligence minister, in an Israeli air strike. This incident follows a series of high-profile killings attributed to Israel, which aims to undermine Iran's leadership amid escalating conflict. The Iranian leadership has vowed to retaliate, while public sentiment amongst some citizens suggests potential support for the removal of controversial officials.

Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib has been killed, the country's president has confirmed.

Masoud Pezeshkian said the cowardly assassination had left Iran in deep mourning, after Israel said on Wednesday it had killed Khatib in an air strike.

It comes a day after Israel announced it had killed Iran's top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the paramilitary Basij force, Gholamreza Soleimani, in strikes.

Since the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war on 28 February, multiple senior Iranian officials and commanders have been killed in efforts by Israel and the US to weaken the regime's leadership.

In a post on X, Pezeshkian extended his condolences to the Iranian people over the officials' deaths, adding he was certain their path will continue more steadfastly than before.

Speaking to the BBC, a woman from Tehran said the killing of Khatib might help the people since he was among the leadership.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel's defence minister Israel Katz announced that Khatib had been eliminated in an Israeli strike on Tehran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to eliminate any senior Iranian official for whom the intelligence and operational circle has been closed, without the need for additional approval, he said.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Khatib played a significant role in the arrest and killing of protesters during crackdowns on recent protests in Iran.

Khatib was appointed as Iran's defence minister by the late former president, Ebrahim Raisi, in 2021 and was sanctioned by the US Treasury for his involvement in activities against the US and its allies.

Iran has reported over 1,300 fatalities from US and Israeli strikes since the conflict escalated, while public demonstrations against government leadership unfold simultaneously. The ramifications of this conflict extend globally, influencing oil prices significantly.

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