{"id":2581246,"date":"2026-03-18T09:49:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T13:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/idf-says-iranian-intelligence-minister-esmaeil-khatib-killed-in-overnight-strikes\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T09:51:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T13:51:50","slug":"idf-says-iranian-intelligence-minister-esmaeil-khatib-killed-in-overnight-strikes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/idf-says-iranian-intelligence-minister-esmaeil-khatib-killed-in-overnight-strikes\/","title":{"rendered":"IDF says Iranian intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib killed 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\">22<\/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-says-iranian-intelligence-minister-esmaeil-khatib-killed-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=2581246&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>The Israel Defense Forces announced overnight airstrikes that killed Esmaeil Khatib, Iran\u2019s intelligence minister, in Tehran, and Hamas commander Yahya Abu Labda in the Gaza Strip. The IDF described Khatib as a significant figure in Iran\u2019s intelligence leadership,involved in suppressing protests inside Iran (including the Mahsa Amini demonstrations) and in activities against Israelis and Americans. Abu Labda was identified as a key figure in Hamas\u2019s missile program, supervising procurement and logistics to support rocket production.<\/p>\n<p>The strikes followed recent Israeli actions,including the reported killing of Ali Larijani,Iran\u2019s National Security Council secretary,in an overnight operation. Khatib has been Iran\u2019s intelligence minister since August 2021 and has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for cyber activities and human rights abuses.He was previously known for criticizing Israel and the U.S. The report frames these events as part of escalating tensions and ongoing covert actions between Israel, Iran, and Hamas.  <\/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 says Iranian intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib killed 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> killed top Iranian intelligence official Esmaeil Khatib and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hamas\/\">Hamas<\/a> commander Yahya Abu Labda 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>The IDF confirmed Khatib, Iran&rsquo;s intelligence minister, was killed in the strike in Tehran on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4495176\/iran-war-nuclear-power-plant-hit\/\">Iran says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-says-projectile-hit-nuclear-power-plant-as-iaea-chief-urges-maximum-restraint\/\" title=\"Iran says projectile hit nuclear power plant as ...\">projectile hit nuclear power plant<\/a> as IAEA chief urges &#8216;maximum restraint&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4495120\/israel-iran-missile-attack-tel-aviv\/\">Two dead in Israel after Iranian missile attack near Tel Aviv<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4494981\/france-strait-of-hormuz-iran-emmanuel-macron\/\">France will &#8216;never&#8217; aid in Strait of Hormuz military operations: Emmanuel Macron<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including the arrest &amp; killing of protestors and led terrorist activities against Israelis &amp; Americans around the world,&rdquo; the IDF wrote in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/IDF\/status\/2034221005569175570?s=20\">post announcing Khatib&rsquo;s death<\/a>. &ldquo;Similarly, he operated against Iranian citizens during the Mahsa Amini protests.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Hamas commander 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>.<\/p>\n<p>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<p>Abu Labda was a prominent figure in the 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >advanced electronic components<\/a> to support Hamas&rsquo;s manufacturing enterprise,&rdquo; the IDF said.<\/p>\n<p>Khatib has been Iran&rsquo;s intelligence minister since August 2021. 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/idf-targets-iranian-intelligence-minister-khatib-and-hamas-commander-in-overnight-strikes\/\" title=\"... targets Iranian ... ... and ... in overnight ...\">malicious cyber activities&#038;rdquo<\/a>; 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>Khatib and Hamas commander killed in overnight strikes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2581247,"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":[26585,4786,3823,76036,7283],"class_list":["post-2581246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-idf","tag-intelligence","tag-iran","tag-overnight-strikes","tag-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\/2581246","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=2581246"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581246\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2581250,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581246\/revisions\/2581250"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}