Israel confirms: Ali Larijani and Basij commander eliminated

2026-03-17 - 09:57

The Israeli Air Force carried out a series of targeted strikes overnight Monday-Tuesday in Tehran and other arenas, as part of the ongoing campaign against the leadership of the Iranian-backed "Axis of Resistance." Among the targets were Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, his deputy Seyed Qasem Karisi, and senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad figure Akram al-Ajouri. According to assessments, some of the targets were eliminated – though final confirmation of all outcomes has not yet been reached. The IDF confirmed that Soleimani was killed in a precision strike in the heart of Tehran. According to a statement from the IDF Spokesperson, the Israeli Air Force acted on Military Intelligence Directorate intelligence and struck the Basij unit commander, who had held his post in recent years. It was further reported that Basij forces, which are subordinate to the Iranian regime, played a central role in suppressing internal protests in the country, using violence, mass arrests, and force against civilians. The IDF stressed that the elimination constitutes a further significant blow to the regime's command and control systems. Akram al-Ajouri (Photo: Arab media) According to additional details that emerged in briefings, Soleimani and his deputy Karisi were struck at a tent headquarters that had been set up after both men were prevented from operating from a fixed location. Simultaneously, Ali Larijani was struck at a safehouse in Tehran. An additional target was Akram al-Ajouri, a senior figure in the military wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the al-Quds Brigades. Al-Ajouri, a Gaza-born operative who had been living in Syria in recent years, was considered a key figure in coordinating between Iran, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and was involved in rocket fire toward Gaza border communities. According to assessments, he was killed in a strike carried out on Wednesday in Tehran. Al-Ajouri had previously survived an assassination attempt in which his son, an operative in the organization, was killed. During the current war, operatives under his command were involved in attempted attacks from Syria and Lebanon. Alongside the strikes, an escalation was recorded on the northern front. The IDF is working to deepen its ground maneuver. The IDF noted that a further expansion of forces and operations is expected as part of efforts to prevent direct fire on northern communities. On the regional front, US efforts to reopen shipping lanes in the straits continue amid attempts to disrupt maritime traffic. In Israel, assessments hold that the moves are directed primarily at the US at this stage. Defense Minister Israel Katz said he had been briefed on a situation assessment by the IDF Chief of Staff. "Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated tonight and have joined the architect of the annihilation program, Khamenei, and all the foilers of the Axis of Evil in the depths of hell," Katz said. "The Prime Minister and I have directed the IDF to continue hunting down the leadership of the terrorist and oppression regime in Iran."