By Ian Werther in News — 18 Mar 2026

Israel Kills Iran's Security Chief, Iran Strikes Tel Aviv Area

Israel has said it killed Iran’s security chief, Larijani, prompting Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps to mount an immediate retaliation directed at central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area. The move comes amid a broader confrontation between Israel and Iran, with both sides signaling ongoing campaigns against each other’s leadership.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly fired multiple ballistic missiles toward central Israel, using Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles. Tehran said the attack targeted more than 100 military and security sites around Tel Aviv, asserting it was revenge for Larijani’s death.

The strikes produced civilian casualties on the Israeli side. A pair of elderly residents, aged in their 70s, were killed on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, and Israel’s rail network briefly suspended operations as a precaution amid the flare-up.

Iran’s Musa Bay (خور موسی) on the northern end of the Persian Gulf is pictured in this image from the Copernicus Sentinel-2A satellite on 13 January 2017.
Near the centre, we can see the port city of Bandar Imam Khomeini, situated at the terminus of the Trans-Iranian Railway – a route that links the Persian Gulf with Iran’s capital, Tehran.
The dark area to the right of the port is Musa Bay, a shallow estuary. The large geometric structures along the top appear to be evaporation ponds for extracting naturally occurring minerals from the ground.
The left side of the image is dominated by the marshes and mudflats of the Shadegan wildlife refuge. It is the largest wetland in Iran, and plays a significant role in the natural ecology of the area.
The area provides a wintering habitat for a wide variety of migratory birds, and is the most important site in the world for a rare species of aquatic bird: the marbled duck. The northern part of the wetland is a vital freshwater habitat for many endangered species.
This area is considered a wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty for the sustainable use of wetlands.
World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2 February.

This image is featured on the Earth from Space video programme. — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 3.0 igo. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

In a parallel action, Iran launched several drones at the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, triggering alarms and alarms in the area as authorities warned residents. The incident underscores the ongoing security spillover from Iran’s confrontations with Israel, and heightened tensions in Iraq’s capital.

Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, warned of harsh retaliation, describing the killing of Larijani as an act that would be met with “revenge.” The Iranian leadership has framed the incident as part of a broader struggle against what it calls terrorism.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, to discuss regional security, opportunities to expand military cooperation, and escalating violence in the West Bank, March 9, 2023. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza) — Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told supporters that Israel had removed two top leaders of what he described as a tyrannical terrorist regime, signaling that he believes the campaign will continue on a high level. Israeli officials say the operation aims to degrade Iran’s ability to conduct leadership-guided attacks.

The Wall Street Journal cited analysis suggesting Israel is pursuing Iran’s leadership with a heavy reliance on intelligence and a broad strike capacity, noting more than 10,000 Israeli missiles may have been deployed in the current phase of the conflict. The report highlights how regional escalation feeds into broader security and defense considerations for the United States and its allies.

Why this matters for the United States and global readers: the episode illustrates how Iran-Israel confrontation can spill over into Iraq and other Arab states, potentially affecting U.S. personnel and interests in the region. Escalation risks to energy markets and global supply chains, from Middle East stability to defense technology exchanges, are key considerations for U.S. policymakers and markets alike. The incident also reinforces the importance of alliances with Israel and regional partners in managing threats and maintaining regional deterrence.

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