Kenneth Glad
Conflicting accounts emerged from Tehran on Tuesday after Israel said it had struck one of Iran’s most influential figures overnight
The latest development highlights how the conflict is expanding beyond the battlefield, with implications for leadership stability inside Iran and energy markets far beyond the region.
Israel says Ali Larijani, a central figure in Iran’s security leadership, was killed in the strike. Reporting by The Guardian suggests that, if verified, his loss would remove a senior strategist who helped connect political decision-making with military operations.
A contested claim
Tehran has not acknowledged his death. Instead, state media aired a handwritten message attributed to him, which the British newspaper noted was likely prepared before the attack.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz linked the strike to a broader campaign against Iran’s leadership, referencing earlier Israeli claims that supreme leader Ali Khamenei had been killed.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,” he said.
For now, the facts remain contested.
Pattern of strikes
The strike follows a pattern seen in recent weeks. Alarabiya says that Israeli operations have relied on detailed intelligence to track senior Iranian figures, even in central Tehran.
Larijani had remained publicly visible, appearing at rallies and issuing statements aimed at rallying regional support. He also criticised Gulf states for hosting US military operations, The Guardian writes
But this goes beyond a single individual.
According to AP, disruption in the Strait of Hormuz continues to threaten a vital artery for global energy supplies, a route that carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil shipments.
Power and consequences
Inside Iran, the possible loss carries weight. Larijani, a former parliamentary speaker and nuclear negotiator, had long been a bridge between competing factions within the system, combining political influence with security oversight.
In a message broadcast by Iranian state television, reports The Guardian, he wrote: “Their memory will always remain in the heart of the Iranian nation and these martyrdoms will strengthen the foundation of the Islamic Republic army for years within the structure of the armed forces.”
What happens next is uncertain. AP reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps could consolidate further influence as the war continues, tightening its hold over decision-making in a time of crisis.
An Israeli official, quoted by The Guardian, said “there was no chance he survived this attack.” That claim remains unverified.
If confirmed, the strike could further narrow the space for diplomacy, reinforcing a trajectory toward deeper and more prolonged confrontation.
Sources: The Guardian, Alarabiya, AP
