The shadow war between Israel and Iran just took another dramatic turn.
Two of Iran’s most senior figures are now dead — but will it actually change the course of the conflict?
Iranian state media confirmed that top security official Ali Larijani and Basij militia commander Gholamreza Soleimani were killed.
Hours after Israel claimed responsibility for the strikes.
The announcement came through Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the semi-official Mehr News Agency.
Larijani, a veteran power broker in Tehran, had long been part of Iran’s political elite.
He once led nuclear negotiations with Western powers and previously served as speaker of parliament.
High-Profile Target Eliminated
His killing marks the highest-ranking Iranian official lost in the conflict since the assassination of Ali Khamenei at the start of the war on February 28.
Israeli leaders openly celebrated the operation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said eliminating Larijani was part of a broader strategy.
To weaken Iran’s ruling system. Potentially encourage internal revolt.
But analysts remain cautious. “It’s a bit like a game of ‘Whac-A-Mole,’” said Mohamad Elmasry.
“You remove one leader, another quickly takes their place.”
In other words, the strike may be symbolically powerful.
But whether it shakes the foundations of Iran’s leadership — that’s a much bigger question.
