Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (center) is holding a situation assessment meeting with Israeli military leadership. [Provided by the Israeli Ministry of Defense]

Israel, having eliminated key figures of the Iranian regime such as Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, announced on the 18th (local time) that it has now targeted and assassinated the Iranian Minister of Intelligence in an airstrike.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant officially confirmed in a war situation assessment meeting under the Ministry of Defense that "Iranian Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib died in a Tehran airstrike carried out overnight."

He continued, "There will be additional significant surprise operations today," adding, "A significant 'surprise' is imminent across all fronts to escalate the war against Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah."

Minister Gallant added that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have officially granted full authority to the Israeli military to immediately eliminate any high-ranking Iranian official without separate additional approval procedures.

Consequently, assassination operations targeting the Iranian leadership are expected to be carried out more aggressively in the future.

Last month on the 28th, Israel, along with the United States, carried out an airstrike targeting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the previous day, eliminated Secretary Larijani and Basij Militia Commander Gholamreza Soleimani.