Mourners bid farewell to the bodies of Iran's slain intelligence minister Esmail Khatib and his family during their funeral after the weekly Friday noon prayers in Tehran on March 20, 2026. Israel's military said on March 18 that it would not stop its "series of eliminations" of senior Iranian officials, after announcing it had killed Khatib. His killing came soon after Israel killed Iran's powerful security chief Ali Larijani.
United States and Israeli airstrikes, following nearly three weeks of war, have reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several top political and military figures in the Islamic Republic.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran is “being decimated,” while the Israeli military described the country’s leadership as “a house of cards that is collapsing.”
Despite the heavy losses, Iran has demonstrated resilience by swiftly replacing key officials and continuing its military operations against the United States and Israel.
In the latest development, the spokesman of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Ali Mohammad Naini, was killed in a dawn airstrike on Friday.
KEY FIGURES REPORTEDLY KILLED
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Supreme Leader – Ali Khamenei
Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1989, was reportedly killed on February 28 during a strike on a high-level meeting in Tehran.
His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is said to have survived with injuries and has reportedly taken over leadership, though he has not made a public appearance. -
National Security Council Chief – Ali Larijani
Larijani, a long-standing figure in Iranian politics, was killed in an Israeli strike on March 17. -
Revolutionary Guards Commander – Mohammad Pakpour
Pakpour, who assumed command in 2025, was killed on the first day of the war and replaced by Ahmad Vahidi. -
Senior Advisor – Ali Shamkhani
A veteran security figure, Shamkhani died in an early airstrike during the conflict. -
Intelligence Minister – Esmael Khatib
Khatib was killed in a strike on Tehran on March 18. -
Defence Minister – Aziz Nasirzadeh
Nasirzadeh, a former military officer, was also killed on the first day of the war. -
Basij Commander – Gholamreza Soleimani
He died in an airstrike on March 17. -
IRGC Spokesman – Ali Mohammad Naini
Naini was killed in the latest strike early Friday. -
Military Office Head – Mohammad Shirazi
Shirazi, responsible for coordinating Iran’s armed forces, was killed at the start of the war. -
Armed Forces Chief – Abdolrahim Mousavi
Mousavi, who assumed office in 2025, was also killed on the opening day of the conflict.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
While the strikes have significantly impacted Iran’s leadership structure, the government has continued to function, replacing officials and sustaining its military operations.
The conflict remains ongoing, with rising tensions and continued exchanges between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
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