Israel says top Iranian officials killed in strike

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday the country's military killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force, in an overnight strike.

“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated last night,” Katz said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.

Iranian state media did not immediately confirm the two deaths, but said that a message from Larijani’s office would be published shortly.

Larijani was appointed to advise the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration.

Khamenei was killed on the first day of the U.S.-Israel air strikes on Iran – Feb. 28.

The Treasury Department in January sanctioned Larijani as the Iranian government violently suppressed nationwide protests. The department identified Larijani as being “responsible for coordinating the response to the protests on behalf of the supreme leader of Iran.”

“Larijani was one of the first Iranian leaders to call for violence in response to the legitimate demands of the Iranian people,” the Treasury Department said at the time.

The crackdown of the nationwide protests in January resulted in thousands reportedly killed and tens of thousands detained.