Israel Claims It Killed Iran's De Facto Wartime Leader as Strikes Continue

Israel says it has killed Ali Larijani, the official who had effectively been running Iran since the conflict began, as U.S. and Israeli strikes continue to pound the country.

Larijani served as Secretary of Iran's National Security Council, but took on a far larger role after the former Supreme Leader was killed, and the current one was wounded. NBC's Raf Sanchez reports that Larijani "has been taking a lot of the day-to-day calls about running the country," making him one of the most powerful surviving figures in the Iranian regime before his death.

Israel also claims it killed the head of the Basij, Iran's internal militia, which the regime deploys to suppress its own citizens. When protesters took to the streets in January, it was Basij forces who were sent out with weapons to confront them. Sanchez notes that targeting the Basij leader suggests Israel may still be holding out hope for regime change, potentially encouraging protesters to return to the streets.

Iran has not confirmed either killing.

Meanwhile, Israel is expanding its ground offensive in southern Lebanon, saying the operation targets Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group. But many Lebanese fear Israel intends to seize a permanent buffer zone in the south, displacing everyone who lives there. More than 800,000 people have already been forced from their homes.