Israel kills Iranian intelligence minister who survived initial strike, official says

Israel killed Iran’s Minister of Intelligence Esmaeil Khatib successful a precision onslaught overnight, a elder Israeli charismatic told Fox News Wednesday.

The charismatic said nan onslaught was enabled by a associated U.S.-Israeli intelligence effort and described Khatib arsenic a cardinal subordinate successful land targeting American officials.

"This man had American humor connected his hands. His web specifically targeted existent and erstwhile U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump," nan charismatic added.

Khatib had antecedently survived a sweeping onslaught connected Iran’s elder activity astatine nan "Defense Council" compound successful Tehran during nan opening shape of Operation Epic Fury, wherever much than 40 Iranian leaders were killed successful astir 40 seconds, according to nan official.

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Iran’s Minister of Intelligence Esmaeil Khatib (center) sits pinch President Masoud Pezeshkian (center right) earlier a reside to members of parliament successful Tehran connected Aug. 17, 2024. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

He was reportedly nan only personification to past nan first attack.

"Today, he met nan destiny of his combatant comrades," nan charismatic told Fox News.

Israel has targeted and killed respective elder Iranian leaders since nan commencement of nan war, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Larijani, caput of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Gen. Gholamreza Soleimani, commandant of Iran’s Basij unit, and Mohammad Pakpour, commandant of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Israel Defense Forces said Khatib played a cardinal domiciled successful directing crackdowns connected protesters, including arrests and killings during recent unrest and nan nationwide demonstrations sparked by nan 2022 decease of Mahsa Amini.

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People be a protestation against nan Iranian regime, successful Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, pursuing nan decease of Mahsa Amini successful nan custody of nan Islamic republic's notorious "morality police." (Markus Schreiber/ AP Photo)

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Khatib successful 2022 for his domiciled successful starring Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), which U.S. officials said was responsible for cyberattacks against nan United States and its allies. 

Treasury said nan ministry oversaw global cyber operations targeting authorities and private-sector organizations, including disruptive attacks connected captious infrastructure.

United Against Nuclear Iran, a non-partisan defense group, said Khatib enlisted successful nan IRGC astatine nan outbreak of nan Iran-Iraq War successful 1980 and studied nether Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, nan laminitis of nan Islamic Republic.

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Hossein Amir Abdollahian, (right) and Esmaeil Khatib (left) be a ballot of assurance successful nan furniture of President Ebrahim Raisi astatine nan Islamic Consultative Assembly successful Tehran, Iran, connected Aug. 25, 2021. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)

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He joined MOIS successful 1985 aliases 1986 aft it was established successful 1983.

The State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme past week offered up to $10 cardinal for accusation connected elder Iranian information figures tied to nan IRGC and its networks, including Khatib.