The Israeli military said Tuesday that a targeted overnight strike killed Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, along with Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij Resistance Force.
The IDF referred to Larijani as the "effective" leader of Iran since the war began, noting he was a close adviser to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and responsible for Iran's military response to the joint U.S.-Israeli operation launched on February 28.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats and anti-war advocates have expressed concern about the escalating conflict, arguing that deeper U.S. involvement in strikes against Iranian leadership risks broader regional instability. Some progressive lawmakers have called for congressional oversight of any U.S. military participation in operations inside Iran.
Human rights organizations have noted the IDF's accusations against Larijani regarding oversight of crackdowns on anti-government protests, with some arguing that accountability for human rights abuses should come through international legal processes rather than targeted killings.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative Republicans have largely supported Israel's right to target threats to its security, with many arguing that eliminating key Iranian leadership is necessary for regional stability. House Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans have praised what they describe as decisive action against those responsible for orchestrating Iranian military operations.
Defense hawks argue that Larijani's role in overseeing Iran's military response to U.S.-Israeli operations justified the strike, with some Republican senators calling for continued pressure on Tehran. The involvement of U.S. military assets in the Soleimani strike has been described by supporters as appropriate intelligence cooperation with a key ally.
What the Numbers Show
In January 2026, the Treasury Department sanctioned Larijani over Iran's response to anti-government protests. The Basij Resistance Force, which Soleimani commanded, has been sanctioned by the State Department for human rights abuses including allegations of recruiting child soldiers.
The joint U.S.-Israeli operation launched on February 28 targeted Iranian military capabilities. Larijani had publicly threatened President Trump the previous week, posting that "the Ashura-loving nation of Iran does not fear your paper threats" and warning Trump to "watch out for yourself."
Iran has not officially commented on the status of Larijani, though a statement honoring Iranian navy "martyrs" was posted to his X account shortly before the IDF announced the strike.
The Bottom Line
The targeted killings represent a significant escalation in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, removing two senior figures involved in Iran's military operations and domestic repression. The U.S. involvement in the Soleimani strike, confirmed by an Israeli official to Fox News as a "joint U.S. and Israeli effort," marks deeper American engagement in operations inside Iran.
What to watch: whether Iran responds to these strikes, particularly given Larijani's prior threats and the ongoing tensions over Strait of Hormuz. The deaths of these senior figures could either accelerate a de-escalation or provoke further Iranian retaliation against Israeli and American interests in the region.