Israel says it killed Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib
Esmail Khatib played a significant role in the arrest and killing of protesters during the recent protests throughout Iran, according to the Israeli military.
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JERUSALEM: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday (May 18) that the country's forces had killed Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, adding that the military was authorised to kill any high-ranking Iranian official in its sights without seeking further approval.
"Last night Iran's Intelligence Minister Khatib was also eliminated," Katz said in a statement.
The killing of Khatib comes soon after Israel killed Iran's powerful security chief Ali Larijani, and another powerful figure, Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force.
The US State Department offered a US$10 million reward on Friday for information about Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and other top officials, including Khatib.
"The intensity of the strikes in Iran is moving up a notch. We are in the midst of a decisive stretch," Katz said.
Katz also said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorised the military to target "any senior Iranian official for whom the intelligence and operational circle has been closed, without the need for additional approval."
"We will continue to thwart and hunt them all down."
"Over the course of this day as well, significant surprises are expected in all arenas that will raise to a new level the war we are waging against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon," he added.
In a statement announcing Khatib's killing, the Israeli military said he had "played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrest and killing of protestors as well as shaping the regime's intelligence assessment".
"In addition to his activities targeting the State of Israel, Khatib led the Ministry of Intelligence's terrorist activities against Israeli and American targets around the world," it added, including during the current war between the arch foes.
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