The Israeli military has provided further details on the reported killing of Iran’s intelligence chief, Esmaeil Khatib, describing the operation as a targeted strike in Tehran.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Khatib, who headed Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, was a central figure in what it called the government’s internal repression and external security operations. The military alleged that he played a key role in overseeing the detention and deaths of protesters during a recent crackdown on demonstrations across Iran.

According to the IDF, the strike forms part of a broader campaign aimed at weakening Iran’s senior leadership and operational capacity. It added that the killing of Khatib is among a series of actions targeting top officials, which it claims have significantly disrupted the country’s command and control structures.

Israeli authorities have not provided independent evidence to support the claims, and Iranian officials have yet to issue a formal response at the time of reporting.