Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was killed in an overnight Israeli strike on Tehran.

In a statement, Katz said Larijani and a senior Basij commander were “eliminated” during the operation, linking the strike to Israel’s broader campaign against Iran’s leadership. He added that Israeli forces would continue targeting senior figures within what he described as Iran’s ruling structure.

Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had directed the Israel Defense Forces to intensify operations aimed at dismantling Iran’s military capabilities and leadership network.

According to the statement, Israeli forces are continuing high-intensity operations across Iran, focusing on military infrastructure, missile-launch systems and other strategic assets. Katz claimed the ongoing campaign has significantly degraded Iran’s capabilities, setting back its military development by years.

There was no immediate confirmation from Iranian officials regarding Larijani’s reported death.