Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday the killing of Ali Larijani, Iran’s National Security Council secretary, saying his elimination is part of a broader effort to destabilize Iran’s leadership.

In a video statement released by his office, Netanyahu said the assassination of Larijani, along with that of Basij paramilitary commander Gholamreza Soleimani, reflects a strategy aimed at weakening the Iranian regime and creating conditions for internal change.

“Our goal is to destabilize this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people an opportunity to remove it,” Netanyahu said.

He acknowledged that such an outcome would not come quickly or easily.

“This will not happen all at once; it will not happen easily. But if we persist, we will give them the opportunity to take their fate into their own hands,” he added.

Netanyahu said Israel is also working closely with the United States to counter Iran’s actions across the region. He noted that he had spoken at length on the issue with Donald Trump a day earlier.

“There is cooperation between our air forces and navies, between me and President Trump and his team,” Netanyahu said, describing both indirect and direct forms of pressure on Iran. “We will assist through indirect actions that generate tremendous pressure on the Iranian regime, as well as through direct operations. There are many more surprises.”

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Larijani's death, saying he was killed in an Israeli airstrike overnight, along with Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary forces.

Katz described the operation as part of ongoing efforts against Iran’s military and paramilitary leadership, stating in a briefing that Larijani and Soleimani had “joined the head of the annihilation program, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell.”

Later, the Israeli army confirmed that Larijani was killed in an overnight airstrike in Tehran, saying he “served as the de facto leader of the Iranian terror regime” following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“For years, Larijani was considered one of the most senior and veteran figures in the leadership of the Iranian terror regime and was close to the regime’s leader, Ali Khamenei,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

After Khamenei’s death, the military said, Larijani “established his position as the de facto leader of the Iranian terror regime and led the fighting against the State of Israel and other countries in the region.”

The military added that Larijani was responsible for “political-security coordination of the Iranian terror regime and was involved in directing its international activity.”

According to the Israeli army, Larijani also played a central role in suppressing domestic unrest in Iran earlier this year, personally overseeing violent crackdowns against protesters.

“Larijani led enforcement and violent suppression actions and even personally oversaw the massacre carried out against Iranian demonstrators,” the military said.

Larijani would be the most senior ​figure assassinated since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on the first day of Israeli-U.S. airstrikes on February 28.

Meanwhile, a letter was posted on Larijani’s X account in a bid to refute Israel's claim. The post consisted of a photograph of a handwritten note in which Larijani commemorated Iranian sailors killed in the U.S. strike on the frigate IRIS Dena on March 4.

“The martyrdom of the brave members of the Navy of the Army of the Islamic Republic in Dena is part of the sacrifices of the proud nation that has emerged in this time of struggle against international oppressors,” Larijani wrote in what may have been his final message. “Their memory will always remain in the heart of the Iranian nation, and these martyrdoms will strengthen the foundations of the Army of the Islamic Republic for years to come within the structure of the armed forces.”

While the note mourns the sailors, it does not address or contradict Israel’s assertion that Larijani was killed in a strike last night, leaving his current status unclear.