Tel Aviv: The Israeli military confirmed Tuesday that its air force targeted and killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, in a precise overnight strike in the heart of Tehran.

The Israel Defence Forces stated that the operation took place on Monday as part of an expanded wave of strikes across the Iranian capital. Soleimani, who had led the paramilitary organisation for several years, was reportedly targeted at a newly established camp that the Basij had utilised after their permanent headquarters were damaged in previous raids.

The military emphasised that Soleimani was not the only high-ranking official neutralised in the strike. According to official statements, the deputy commander of the Basij and several other top-tier officials were also killed during the operation.

Earlier, the Israeli media reported that Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, was also targeted, and his fate is currently unknown. The Israel Defence Forces described the strike as a significant blow to the Iranian regime's internal security and command-and-control structures.

Israeli officials highlighted Soleimani’s role in leading the repression of domestic dissent, accusing him of overseeing severe human rights violations and the use of lethal force against civilian demonstrators. The military characterised the Basij as a central component of the armed apparatus used by the Iranian government to maintain internal control and project regional influence.

While Iranian state media has not yet issued a formal confirmation of the death, the operation is being framed by Israeli leadership as a critical success in their broader military objectives. The strike follows reports of other high-stakes operations in Tehran as Israel continues to target what it describes as the core systems of the Iranian military and intelligence landscape.