Iran hits Israel with cluster warhead missiles following Ali Larijani’s assassination

2026-03-18 - 04:31

TEHRAN – Iran has launched another series of missile strikes to target Israel’s commercial hub, Tel Aviv, following the killing of senior security official Ali Larijani, according to Iranian state media and official statements. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the attacks were part of the 61st wave of strikes against Israeli targets. The IRGC stated that missiles including Khorramshahr-4, Qadr, Emad, and Kheibar Shekan were used in the operation, claiming that more than 100 military and security-related sites were successfully hit. Iranian state television reported that the strikes were carried out in direct response to the killing of Larijani, who was described as a key national security figure. According to the report, cluster warhead missiles were used in the attack on Tel Aviv. Initial reports indicated that multiple vehicles were destroyed and fires broke out in several areas of the city. Buildings also sustained significant damage. At least two people were reported killed in the strikes, though further details have not been independently verified. Iranian media said Larijani was killed in in eastern Tehran, where Larijani had gone to visit his daughter. His son, Morteza Larijani, was also reported killed in the same attack. There has been no immediate independent confirmation of the claims regarding the assassination or the scale of damage caused by the missile strikes. In the chaotic aftermath of Khamenei’s death, Larijani had surged into the spotlight, emerging as the most visible and arguably most capable figure steering Iran through crisis. While the newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei remained conspicuously absent from public view, Larijani was seen walking among crowds at a pro-government rally in Tehran—an unmistakable show of resilience and control. Larijani was a pragmatic conservative, who was no usual bureaucrat but a master strategist. As head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, he orchestrated defence planning and oversaw the country’s sensitive nuclear program. Before the war derailed diplomacy, Larijani had been actively engaging regional powers such as Oman and Qatar, attempting to navigate Iran back into nuclear negotiations. Those efforts collapsed as tensions erupted into open conflict. Analysts long described him as a “canny operator,” a political insider who understood how to balance ideology with real-world strategy, making him indispensable in both war and diplomacy. Born in Najaf in 1957 into a family closely linked to Ruhollah Khomeini, Larijani’s rise was rooted in both lineage and experience. He fought in the Iran-Iraq War, earned a PhD in Western philosophy, and later dominated Iran’s media landscape as head of state broadcasting. His political career peaked during his tenure as parliament speaker from 2008 to 2020, cementing his role as one of Iran’s most enduring power figures. He also played a central role in nuclear diplomacy, leading negotiations with global powers in the mid-2000s and backing the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—a deal later undone when the US withdrew under Donald Trump. In the months leading up to the war, Larijani issued stark warnings: continued external pressure, he said, could push Iran toward reconsidering its nuclear stance. While insisting Iran was not pursuing nuclear weapons, he made clear that escalation could force its hand. At home, he faced US sanctions over allegations of suppressing protests sparked by economic hardship. Larijani acknowledged public frustration but blamed unrest on foreign interference—pointing directly at Washington and Israel.