Iran confirmed that its Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an overnight strike, which Iranian authorities say was carried out by Israel.

The announcement was made by President Masoud Pezeshkian, just hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed responsibility for the attack.

This marks the third assassination of a senior Iranian figure within two days. Earlier, Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani and Basij head Gholamreza Soleimani were also killed in airstrikes.

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Pezeshkian strongly reacted to the killings and condemned the “cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues”, saying they “left us heartbroken.” He added that their “path will continue stronger than before.”

According to reports, Khatib was considered a close and trusted figure to Iran’s leadership. Analysts say Israel used intelligence gathered over the past 24 hours to target multiple high-level officials.

Israeli officials have indicated that more such operations could continue. Reports suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and military leadership have given standing approval to target senior Iranian figures without case-by-case clearance.

Meanwhile, the US Department of State had earlier announced a reward of $10 million for information about Iran’s top leadership, including Khatib.

A funeral ceremony for Larijani and Soleimani was held in Tehran, where officials and citizens gathered to pay tribute.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that despite these attacks, Iran’s system does not depend on a single individual and will continue to function.

This situation is very serious. Multiple killings increase tension. More attacks may happen. Conflict can grow quickly if not controlled.