Al Jazeera News Updates Iran's top security chiefs killed, Top US counterterrorism official resigns
Mar 18, 2026
Breaking news on the deaths of two senior Iranian security figures after reported airstrikes. A clear rundown of who those officials were and the roles they played. Reaction from Israel's leadership about the impact of the strikes. Coverage of international responses and implications for regional tensions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Iran Confirms Two Senior Security Chiefs Killed
- Iran confirmed two top security figures were killed by Israeli airstrikes, marking a major leadership blow.
- The victims were Security Chief Ali Larijani and Gholam Reza Soleimani, commander of the Internal Security Force (the Bassij).
Strike Fractures Iran Leadership Amid Ongoing War
- The strike is described as one of the biggest blows to Iran's leadership since the conflict began two and a half weeks ago.
- Both Larijani and Soleimani had led violent crackdowns on January protesters, tying the killings to domestic repression roles.
US And Israel Publicly Welcome The Kills
- Both the Israeli prime minister and the U.S. president publicly welcomed the assassinations.
- Israeli rhetoric framed the deaths as removing 'terrorist chieftains' and hitting 'terror operatives' in public spaces.