AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Israel says it has killed two top Iranian leaders in overnight airstrikes. These deaths deal another blow to Iran's remaining leadership. Iranian state media confirmed the deaths of both men. Now, one of these men was believed to have been directing the current war effort since Israel assassinated Iran's supreme leader in the first day that the U.S. and Israel launched the war. Iran has been hitting back today, sending missiles and drones into both Israel and the neighboring Gulf states. NPR's Carrie Kahn joins us now from Tel Aviv. Hi, Carrie.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Hi.
CHANG: So let's start with Israel here. What have officials there been saying so far about the killings today?
KAHN: Israeli officials said it killed the leader of the feared paramilitary Basij forces and the head of the National Security Council. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement today - he touted the killing, saying they show that Israel has risen into a formidable power in the region.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: (Speaking Hebrew).
KAHN: "We are almost a global superpower fighting shoulder to shoulder with a friend who is the world's superpower," he said. And he urged the Israeli public to ignore, quote, "channels of gloom" that criticize Israel. Despite claims of achieving total control of Iranian airspace - that's both by Israel and the U.S. - Iran was more active today, firing nearly a dozen missiles into Israel.
CHANG: Can we talk about the two men believed to have been killed today? One of them was believed to have been running Iran's war effort up until now, is that right?
KAHN: Right. His name is Ali Larijani, and he has a long career in the Iranian political upper echelons. He was the speaker of the Parliament, among other appointments, and was a top adviser to the assassinated supreme leader. And after Israel killed the leader, it was widely believed that Larijani was running Iran. He was also involved in talks with the Trump administration before the war. And here's Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein. He's a former Jordanian diplomat and president of the International Peace Institute. He says he was surprised Larijani was targeted.
ZEID RA’AD AL HUSSEIN: Because he seemed to be the one person who the international community could talk to. And now, with him apparently having been killed, it's difficult to see who one speaks to in the IRGC.
KAHN: The IRGC being a powerful branch of the Iranian security apparatus.
CHANG: OK. And the other man assassinated by Israel today, this was the head of the Basij paramilitary forces?
KAHN: Yes, Gholam Reza Soleimani. He headed the feared plain-clothes police. These are the forces that headed that violent crackdown on protests earlier this year that killed thousands of Iranians, and that's according to U.S.-based human rights groups. He has run that repressive militia for seven years. Israel says the airstrike that killed him was on a makeshift tent headquarters for the Basij, and other commanders were also killed in that attack.
CHANG: Carrie, can you also just step back and bring us up to speed on other fronts in this war, like mainly the Gulf and Lebanon? Where are we there at this point?
KAHN: Sure. Iran has been actively firing today into the Gulf. The UAE Defense Ministry reported intercepting dozens of missiles and drones. An official there told NPR on condition of anonymity in order to discuss security issues that Iran must realize they are not helping themselves by attacking their whole neighborhood and that any new negotiations with Iran must include not only controlling its nuclear capabilities but also its missiles, which the official says are now, quote, "center stage" and not seen as weapons of self-defense.
And the situation in Lebanon is volatile. Israeli troops began a new ground incursion into southern Lebanon this week. The death toll there has reached more than 900 people, with more than 1.2 million people displaced, and that's according to Lebanese officials.
CHANG: That is NPR's Carrie Kahn in Tel Aviv. Thank you, Carrie.
KAHN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
