Israel claimed the assassination of Ali Larijani, Iran’s national security chief and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, during fresh airstrikes overnight. The Israeli military stated the wave of bombardments also killed Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij militia unit.
The targeted killings represent a severe escalation in the ongoing military conflict, which intensified after a joint U.S.-Israeli bombardment killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on February 28. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly heralded the overnight strikes on Tuesday, stating that “one of their top people” had been eliminated.
As the military campaign broadens, regional instability continues to spread. Drone and rocket attacks reportedly targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday. A separate strike on a house in Baghdad, which was reportedly hosting Iranian advisers, left four people dead.
In response to the heavy bombardments and the leadership vacuum created by Khamenei’s death, Iran has moved to block the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. intelligence reports indicate that Iranian forces are actively laying mines in the waterway using small boats. The strait serves as a vital maritime chokepoint, facilitating the transit of 20 percent of the world’s crude oil.
The blockade has triggered a significant diplomatic rift between the U.S. and its Western allies. Major NATO members, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, have explicitly refused to send naval escorts to the Gulf or participate in the regional war. President Trump sharply criticized the hesitation on Tuesday, labeling the refusal to assist a “foolish mistake.” Trump stated that while the U.S. “doesn’t need them,” the allied forces “should’ve been there.”
U.S. Central Command recently reported that the military campaign has struck over 3,000 targets. The command noted that 43 Iranian ships have been damaged or destroyed, though President Trump specifically cited “42 ships in six days.” The death toll in Iran has reportedly surpassed 1,230 people since the military operations began.
The conflict has also generated internal friction within the U.S. government. U.S. Director of National Counterterrorism Joe Kent recently resigned from his position, stepping down in protest of what he described as a “misinformation campaign” designed to push the United States into the war.