Israel's Defense Minister Yisrael Katz officially confirmed the killing of Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian diplomat and former nuclear negotiator, in an Israeli airstrike, marking a dramatic escalation in the shadow war between Tel Aviv and Tehran.
The confirmation, reported by the Times of Israel, represents a significant shift in Israeli targeting strategy from military to high-level political figures. Larijani, a former speaker of Iran's parliament and chief nuclear negotiator, had been serving as a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on international affairs.
The strike's timing and target selection carries echoes of the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani by United States forces, which brought the region to the brink of broader conflict. However, this operation was conducted solely by Israel, without American involvement or prior coordination, according to Israeli security sources.
Larijani's role in Iran's nuclear program and regional strategy made him one of the most influential voices in Tehran's decision-making circles. As chief negotiator during critical phases of nuclear talks with Western powers, he helped shape Iran's approach to international diplomacy while maintaining close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In Israel, as across contested regions, security concerns and aspirations for normalcy exist in constant tension. The decision to target such a prominent political figure represents a calculated gamble by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government that the strategic benefits outweigh the risks of Iranian retaliation.
The strike occurs against the backdrop of intensifying regional tensions, with Iran-backed groups launching attacks across the , including recent drone and missile strikes targeting and the . Israeli officials have repeatedly warned that Iran's nuclear program is approaching a point of no return, with enrichment activities continuing despite international sanctions.
