Israel confirms Iran’s 'de facto leader' Larijani killed in airstrike

Israel’s military said on Tuesday that it had killed Iran’s de facto leader Ali Larijani in an overnight airstrike in Tehran.

Larijani, who served as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was targeted by the Israeli air force in the capital, the military said.

It described Larijani as having acted as Iran’s “de facto leader” following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of the war on Feb. 28.

The military said Larijani had led Iran’s political and security coordination and directed its international activities.