{"id":2581151,"date":"2026-03-18T06:33:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T10:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/idf-targets-iranian-intelligence-minister-khatib-and-hamas-commander-in-overnight-strikes\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T06:35:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T10:35:04","slug":"idf-targets-iranian-intelligence-minister-khatib-and-hamas-commander-in-overnight-strikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/idf-targets-iranian-intelligence-minister-khatib-and-hamas-commander-in-overnight-strikes\/","title":{"rendered":"IDF targets Iranian intelligence minister Khatib and Hamas commander in overnight strikes"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fidf-targets-iranian-intelligence-minister-khatib-and-hamas-commander-in-overnight-strikes%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2581151&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Overnight, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes targeting two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ilhan-omar-other-leftists-distract-from-capitol-attack-by-focusing-on-gun-control-and-racism\/\" title=\"Ilhan Omar, Other Leftists, Distract From Capitol Attack By Focusing On Gun Control And Racism\">high-profile figures<\/a> in the Middle East: Hamas commander Yahya Abu Labda in the Gaza Strip and Iran\u2019s intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib in Tehran, according to reports cited by the Washington Examiner.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Yahya Abu Labda: A senior Hamas commander involved in the organization\u2019s supply and logistics, including the procurement and transport of weapons and materials for its missile program. He was reportedly killed in the gaza strike, and was described as a key figure in advancing Hamas\u2019s weapons production and related logistics.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; esmaeil Khatib: Iran\u2019s intelligence minister since August 2021, with a background in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps\u2019 intelligence unit. He was targeted in a separate strike in Tehran; it was unclear whether he survived, with different outlets offering conflicting updates on his status.Khatib has been sanctioned by the U.S. treasury (in 2022) for cyber-related activities and human rights abuses and has been criticized for crackdown campaigns against activists,journalists,and minority communities.<\/p>\n<p>Context: The strikes follow ongoing tensions, including recent reports that Israel killed other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-we-wont-talk-nuclear-deal-until-biden-lifts-sanctions\/\" title=\"Iran: We won\u2019t talk nuclear deal until Biden lifts sanctions\">top iranian officials<\/a> in overnight actions. The article notes Khatib\u2019s and Abu Labda\u2019s roles within their respective governments and emphasizes their long-standing involvement in security and military activities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">IDF targets Iranian intelligence minister Khatib and Hamas commander in overnight strikes<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2534903\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/idf\/\">Israel Defense Forces<\/a> targeted a top Iranian official and a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hamas\/\">Hamas<\/a> commander in separate airstrikes in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/middle-east\/\">Middle East<\/a> overnight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hamas commander Yahya Abu Labda was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/liveblog_entry\/idf-targeted-irans-intelligence-minister-esmaeil-khatib-in-overnight-strike\/\">reportedly<\/a> killed during an IDF airstrike in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, according to the <em>Times of Israel<\/em>. Esmaeil Khatib, Iran&rsquo;s intelligence minister, was targeted in a strike conducted by the IDF in Tehran, Iran. It is currently unknown if Khatib had survived the strike as <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >multiple reports provided conflicting information<\/a> about his status. The strikes come a day after Israel killed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4493843\/idf-claims-it-killed-two-top-iranian-officials-in-overnight-airstrikes\/\">Ali Larijani<\/a>, secretary of Iran&rsquo;s National Security Council, in an airstrike.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4494494\/gop-fiscal-hawks-open-new-iran-war-funding\/\">GOP fiscal hawks open to new Iran war funding without spending offsets<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4495007\/save-america-act-showdown-relished-gop-democrats\/\">SAVE America Act showdown relished by GOP and Democrats alike<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4495269\/shooting-georgia-va-clinic\/\">Gunman killed and employee hospitalized after a shooting at a Georgia VA clinic, police say<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Abu Labda was a prominent figure in development of Hamas&rsquo;s precision missile project, according to the <em>Times of Israel.<\/em> He was a commander of the organization&rsquo;s supply and logistics department and tasked with the &ldquo;procurement and transport of military equipment and weapons.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Abu Labda led and advanced the transfer of dozens of tons of raw materials for rocket production and advanced electronic components to support Hamas&rsquo;s manufacturing enterprise,&rdquo; said the IDF.<\/p>\n<p>Khatib has been Iran&rsquo;s intelligence minister since August 2021, according to the <em>Jerusalem Post<\/em>. He was an integral member of Iran&rsquo;s government leadership who spent many years in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps&rsquo;s intelligence unit. He was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.albawaba.com\/news\/israel-claims-killing-iranian-1624018\">reportedly<\/a> a valued member of the government by former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4493843\/idf-claims-it-killed-two-top-iranian-officials-in-overnight-airstrikes\/\"><strong>ISRAEL CLAIMS IT KILLED SENIOR IRANIAN OFFICIAL ALI LARIJANI AND BASIJ COMMANDER IN LATEST STRIKES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Khatib was also on the radar of U.S. government officials for years. In 2022, he was one of the Iranian officials <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com\/esmail-khatib-islamic-republic-of-iran-minister-of-intelligence\">sanctioned<\/a> by the Treasury Department on the basis of &ldquo;engaging in malicious cyber activities&rdquo; and as a &ldquo;human rights offender.&rdquo; Under Khatib&rsquo;s leadership, Iran&rsquo;s Ministry of Intelligence and Security initiated crackdowns against &ldquo;activists, journalists, and members of religious minority communities,&rdquo; according to the nonprofit and non-partisan policy group, United Against Nuclear Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Khatib previously accused Israel of committing war crimes and genocide in Gaza and blamed the U.S. for &ldquo;bloodshed in the Gaza Strip&rdquo; and said the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel were a setback for the U.S. in the region, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com\/esmail-khatib-islamic-republic-of-iran-minister-of-intelligence\">asserting<\/a> that &ldquo;the U.S. dominance, previously asserting military, intelligence, economic, and political support for the Zionist regime, has collapsed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IDF targets Iran intel chief Khatib and Hamas Abu Labda<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2581152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esmaeil-Khatib-e1773826916916.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50400,26585,3823,76035,76036],"class_list":["post-2581151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-hamas-2","tag-idf","tag-iran","tag-khatib","tag-overnight-strikes"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Esmaeil-Khatib-e1773826916916.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2581151"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581151\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2581155,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581151\/revisions\/2581155"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}