Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has been killed, Israel says

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has been killed by the Israeli military following the death of top Iranian security official Ali Larijani, Israel’s defense minister announced Wednesday.

Israel Katz confirmed Khatib’s killing, adding that “significant surprises are expected throughout this day on all fronts.”

The U.S. had recently placed a bounty on his head for up to $10 million, along with information on nine other top Iranian officials.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Khatib was killed “in a precise strike by the Air Force, guided by Military Intelligence, in Tehran.”

Former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed Khatib as the intelligence minister in 2021, and he was responsible for the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, according to IDF.

“As Intelligence Minister, Khatib played a significant role in directing the arrests and killings of protesters and in shaping the intelligence picture during the recent internal protests in Iran,” IDF wrote on X. “Similarly, he acted against Iranian citizens in the context of the hijab protests in 2022-2023.”

Meanwhile, Iran launched attacks on Wednesday on Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province — home to many of its oil fields — as well as Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Tehran has also vowed to continue disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war with Israel and the United States on Feb. 28. The move is part of a broader strategy to drive up oil prices and increase pressure on Washington.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, remained above $100 per barrel in early trading Wednesday — up more than 40% since the start of the conflict.

U.S. Central Command said American forces struck Iranian missile sites along the country’s coastline near the Strait on Tuesday, using multiple 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.

President Donald Trump, who has expressed frustration that allies have not contributed ships to help reopen the waterway, wrote on social media Tuesday: “WE DON’T NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”

_______

Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.