Reports from the Israel Defense Forces and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirm the deaths of Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij.

“The Chief of Staff informed me that Larijani, the Supreme National Security Council Secretary, and Salimani, the leader of the Basij—Iran’s primary tool of repression—were taken out last night,” Katz stated, citing a translation from his office. “They have now joined Khamenei, the architect of the annihilation program, and the rest of the eliminated axis of evil members in the depths of hell.”

This announcement arrives over two weeks after Israel, working alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, initiated a war with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In a statement on X, the Israel Defense Forces announced, “Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the de facto leader of the regime, has been eliminated.”

The post continued, “Larijani was long regarded as a senior and veteran member of the Iranian leadership and a close ally of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He personally directed the massacre of Iranian protesters during the latest uprising against the terrorist regime.”

A separate post from the IDF stated, “The IDF targeted and eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani yesterday. He had served as the Basij commander for the last six years. During his tenure, the Basij directed the primary suppression efforts in Iran, utilizing extreme violence, mass arrests, and force against civilians demonstrating.”

Previously, the U.S. government had signaled its intention to provide a reward for details regarding Larijani.

“Rewards for Justice is offering up to $10 million for intelligence on key figures within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its affiliates,” states rewardsforjustice.net. “As part of this offer, RFJ is looking for information on the individuals listed below,” the site specifies, naming Larijani among others.

“Last night, a joint U.S. and Israeli operation targeted over a dozen Basij officials in various strikes across Iran, including Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij forces,” a senior Israeli official revealed. “The strike in Tehran hit the Basij commander and approximately ten others, comprising top Basij leaders—individuals responsible for significant bloodshed.”

‘ Trey Yingst and Yonat Friling contributed to this report.