Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib killed in air strike

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an air strike, which Israel claimed responsibility for on Wednesday. This follows the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28th and other efforts by Israel and the US to weaken Iran's leadership. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the IDF to eliminate senior Iranian officials. The IDF said Khatib, appointed in 2021, played a significant role in suppressing protests and that the Ministry of Intelligence supported "repression and terrorist activities." Khatib was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 for cyber activities. According to the Iranian government, over 1,300 people have been killed in Israeli and US strikes on Iran since the start of the war.

On March 18, 2026, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that an overnight strike killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. The announcement was reported by NewsFeed. According to Katz, the Israeli military is authorized to target high-ranking Iranian officials without needing further governmental approval. As of the time of the report, there has been no confirmation of Khatib's death from Iranian sources. The reason for the alleged strike was not stated in the report.