The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has confirmed that it targeted and has eliminated Iranian senior military commander Gholamreza Soleimani in a strike in Iran overnight.
Gholamreza Soleimani was the commander of the Iranian paramilitary militia, the Basij, for six years.
“Yesterday, the IDF targeted & eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past 6 years,” read a statement by the IDF dated March 17.
Soleimani was targeted while at a tent camp that was recently established by the Basij, set up after the military struck many of the headquarters of the paramilitary force.
According to the IDF, through the leadership of the commander, the Basij served as the primary instrument of repression in the Iranian regime.
The Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators, according to the statement by Israel.
Deputy commander of the Basij and other top officials in the paramilitary force were also targeted by Israeli forces.
Leaders targeted by the IDF
Veteran Iranian politician Ali Larjani has allegedly been critically wounded in the same strike that killed Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani.
Ali Larijani served as the long-time former Speaker of the Majlis (Parliament), the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, and as an advisor who worked to stabilize and reinforce the Islamist Regime.
Larijani was the right-hand man of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and was involved in nuclear negotiations, regional relations, and management of internal unrest in Iran.
Top Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Akram al-Ajouri and other top officials in the terror group were also targeted by the IDF in a strike on Wednesday, according to the military.
The military believes al-Ajouri was likely killed in the strike, but has yet to confirm his death.
“This is in addition to eliminations carried out in recent days in Iran against external elements, also linked to the Palestinian arena,” Zamir says, referring to the Islamic Jihad officials,” IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated during an interview with the Times of Israel.
Zamir added that the senior operatives involved in the terrorist activities from Gaza and from Judea and Samaria (West Bank) were hiding in a safe house in Tehran when the Israelis struck.
Iran has not yet responded to confirm the elimination of the Iranian senior officials.
Also Read: Israeli Airforce Destroys Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Plane
Iranian Attacks on Israel
On March 15, the IDF announced that missiles had recently been launched from Iran toward Israeli territory.
The Home Front Command issued early warnings directly to mobile phones in affected areas, instructing the public to enter protected spaces and remain there until further notice.
Over 2,000 people have been killed across the Middle East since February 28 in the US-Israel conflict with Iran, including over 1,200 in Iran, 886 in Lebanon, and 30 in Iraq.
Also Read: Israel Under Attack as Iranian Missiles Target Territory, Israeli Army Responds
EU Imposed Sanctions on Iran
Amid the ongoing war, the European Union has imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran, targeting 16 individuals and three entities accused of serious human rights violations during the violent suppression of protests in January 2026.
Those sanctioned include Iran’s Deputy Minister of the Interior for Security and Law Enforcement Affairs, along with several regional commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the EU, some of the listed members were involved in the extraction of false confessions, violating fair trial standards, and issuing harsh sentencing
Key operational units, including the Mohammad Rasulullah Corps, which coordinates IRGC and Basij forces in Tehran, and the Imam Reza Corps, active in Khorasan Razavi Province, were designated by the EU.
