“In a statement underscoring his position in Iran’s security apparatus, officials said: ‘Esmaeil Khatib the Iranian regime’s intelligence minister was eliminated in a precision strike in Tehran.’”
Esmaeil Khatib, the Iranian government’s Minister of Intelligence, has been killed in a precision strike in Tehran, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed.
In a statement highlighting his role in Iran’s security apparatus, the IDF declared: “Eliminated: Esmaeil Khatib, the Iranian terrorist regime Minister of Intelligence, in a targeted strike in Tehran.”
Khatib was reported to have played a central role in suppressing protests across Iran. According to the statement, “Khatib orchestrated the arrest and killing of protestors and led terrorist operations against Israelis and Americans worldwide.” The report also tied him to the Mahsa Amini protests of 2022–2023, noting that he actively targeted Iranian citizens during that period.
As head of the Ministry of Intelligence, Khatib oversaw a powerful security network. The IDF described the ministry as possessing “advanced intelligence capabilities, conducting surveillance, espionage, and covert operations globally, particularly against Israeli and Iranian targets.”
The strike represents a major escalation in regional tensions, as the elimination of a senior intelligence figure could have far-reaching implications for security dynamics in the Middle East.
Earlier reports by Vibeslyfe noted that Israel’s Air Force carried out a broad airstrike in Tehran, hitting key command centers and infrastructure tied to Iran’s security and military apparatus, including a Revolutionary Guards’ headquarters. In a statement following the operation, the IDF said: “The Air Force completed a wide-scale airstrike in Tehran: Command centers of the Iranian terror regime were attacked.”
The strikes, guided by military intelligence, targeted multiple strategic sites, including command centers, ballistic missile facilities, and other critical infrastructure. High-profile targets included the Revolutionary Guards’ security headquarters, responsible for handling protests and public order, a maintenance center of the Internal Security Forces’ Logistics and General Support Division, and a ballistic missile array headquarters.
Several air defense systems were simultaneously struck to expand the Air Force’s operational freedom and air superiority over Iranian territory. The IDF emphasized that these operations are part of a broader campaign aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities: “The completed strikes are part of the phase deepening the damage to the core array of the Iranian terror regime and its foundation.”
The escalation underscores growing hostilities between Israel and Iran, with Tehran yet to issue an official response at the time of this report.