Middle East conflict: Israel says it killed key Iranian commander during overnight strike

According to The Times of Israel, Soleimani was targeted while at a tent camp recently established by the Basij. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the camp had been set up after earlier strikes hit several Basij headquarters.

The IDF stated that the operation also killed the deputy commander of the Basij and other senior officials associated with the paramilitary force.

In a post on X, the IDF said: “Commander of the Basij unit eliminated. Yesterday, the IDF targeted and eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who served as commander of the Basij unit for the past six years.”

The Israeli military further alleged that under Soleimani’s leadership, the Basij played a key role in internal repression in Iran, including violent crackdowns on civilian demonstrators.

Separately, the IDF said it had targeted senior Iranian official Ali Larijani in Tehran during the same night. However, there has been no confirmation regarding his status.

The developments come amid escalating hostilities following the outbreak of conflict on February 28. According to Israeli and U.S. claims, multiple senior Iranian leaders have been killed in recent strikes, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, though independent confirmation remains unclear.

In response, Iran has reportedly launched retaliatory strikes targeting several cities in the Gulf region, further intensifying tensions in the region.