Israel said Tuesday it had killed the head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force in an airstrike, as the overall death toll from the ongoing conflict in Iran rose to more than 1,300.
According to the Israeli military, Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani was killed in a strike carried out on Monday. Iranian officials did not immediately confirm the report.
Israel accused Soleimani of overseeing operations by the Basij force to suppress protests, alleging that the group used force, mass detentions and violence against civilians.
The Basij, which operates under Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, has long faced criticism from Western governments. The United States and the European Union had previously imposed sanctions on Soleimani over his alleged role in repressing dissent.
The EU has said the force used deadly measures during protests in 2019, holding Soleimani responsible for serious human rights violations.
His reported killing comes amid intensified Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s leadership since the conflict began in late February. Israel has claimed attacks on several senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Experts say the loss of Soleimani could disrupt the Basij’s command structure, which plays a key role in maintaining internal control in Iran.
The conflict has taken a heavy toll across the region. Officials say more than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran, around 850 in Lebanon, and at least 12 in Israel. The U.S. military has reported 13 personnel killed and about 200 wounded.
Conflict spreads across the region
Tensions continue to rise beyond Iran and Israel, with multiple countries affected.
Bahrain reported fresh drone and missile attacks from Iran, while a drone strike in the United Arab Emirates caused a fire at an oil facility in Fujairah, though no casualties were reported.
In Lebanon, five soldiers were injured in an Israeli airstrike in the south, two of them seriously.
Concerns are also growing over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil route. Iran and Iraq are in discussions to allow Iraqi oil shipments through the strait, as the conflict has sharply reduced Iraq’s oil output.
The United Nations Security Council and several countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have urged an immediate end to the fighting and called for a negotiated resolution.
Meanwhile, global powers such as the United States and China remain in contact over the situation, amid fears that the conflict could escalate further across the region.