Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, Mar 18: Iran has vowed retaliation following the killing of senior leader Ali Larijani in an Israeli airstrike, marking one of the most significant blows to its leadership amid the ongoing conflict.

Iranian authorities confirmed that Larijani, a key decision-maker and head of the Supreme National Security Council, was killed in a strike near Tehran. The attack also reportedly killed his son and close aides, underlining the scale and precision of the operation.

In a separate strike, Israel also claimed to have killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, further weakening Iran’s internal security structure.

Larijani was considered one of the most powerful figures in Iran’s political and security establishment, having played key roles in nuclear negotiations and national strategy. His death is being seen as a major escalation in the war involving Israel and its allies.

Iran has described the killings as a grave provocation and signalled a “decisive” response, raising fears of further escalation across the region. The strikes come amid a widening conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives and destabilised the Middle East.

Analysts warn that targeting top leadership figures could intensify hostilities, with Tehran likely to respond through direct or proxy actions, potentially expanding the scope of the war.