Defense Minister Yisrael Katz held a situational assessment with senior security officials at the Kiryah in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

During the assessment, Katz confirmed the assassination of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib in an overnight strike in Tehran, saying that Khatib oversaw the regime’s internal suppression operations and advanced external threats.

“The intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing,” Katz added. “We’re in a decisive phase.”

“Following the powerful eliminations of senior regime figures — including Iran’s de facto leader and the head of the Basij forces, Larijani and Soleimani—we also eliminated Iran’s Intelligence Minister, Khatib, who was responsible for the regime’s internal repression apparatus and for advancing external threats.”

“Israel’s policy is unequivocal: no one in Iran has immunity — everyone is a target. The prime minister and I have authorized the IDF to eliminate any Iranian official once an intelligence and operational ‘closing of the circle’ is achieved, without the need for additional approval. We will continue to pursue and eliminate them all.”

He then dramatically added: “Significant surprises are expected today across all arenas, which will escalate the war we’re waging against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)