“In a precise strike in Tehran: The IDF eliminated the Commander of the Basij Unit,” the Israeli military said in a statement, adding that Soleimani had led the Basij for the past six years.

It said the operation was carried out by the Israeli Air Force based on intelligence.Israeli media reported that Larijani, a senior figure in Iran’s political and security establishment, was also targeted for assassination, though no confirmation on his status was immediately available.

The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force operating under Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has played a central role in enforcing internal security.

Israel’s military said the Basij had led “main repression operations” during recent mass protests in Iran, which it cited as part of the rationale for the strike.

Iran experienced widespread unrest that peaked in January, with demonstrations challenging the clerical establishment. According to rights groups, the crackdown that followed resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.

The Israeli military said the strikes were part of broader operations that yielded “significant preventive achievements overnight,” quoting Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir.

The targeting of senior Iranian figures in Tehran, if confirmed, would mark a notable escalation in Israel’s operations, extending beyond regional proxy engagements into direct action within Iran’s capital.

There was no immediate response from Iranian authorities regarding the reported strikes or casualties.

In a post on the social media platform X written in Farsi, the Israeli military said it would continue to pursue “every successor” to Khamenei. The message also warned individuals involved in the process of appointing a new supreme leader that they could be targeted.The warning comes as Iran’s clerical body responsible for selecting the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader prepares to convene to determine Khamenei’s successor.Leadership succession under scrutinyIran’s supreme leader is selected by the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body tasked with appointing and overseeing the country’s highest authority.

The leader holds ultimate power over Iran’s military, judiciary and key state institutions.Israel’s statement suggests it is seeking to deter or disrupt the succession process following the reported killing of Khamenei in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.Regional tensions intensifyThe remarks underscore mounting regional tensions as Iran faces a leadership vacuum and uncertainty over its political future.Israel has repeatedly warned it would act against Iranian leadership and military structures it views as threats to its security.