Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed on Wednesday that Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran overnight, warning that “significant surprises” are expected in the coming hours.

Speaking during a security assessment, Katz said the strikes against Iranian targets are intensifying and that the Israeli military is prepared to act against senior Iranian figures without additional approval.

“On this day, significant surprises are expected across all arenas that will escalate the war we are conducting against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon,” he said, according to remarks released by his office.

Following Katz’s announcement, the Israeli army confirmed that Khatib, who had served as Iran’s intelligence minister since 2021, was killed by fighter jets in the Iranian capital.

The military described the Intelligence Ministry as “the Iranian regime’s primary intelligence organization, responsible for supporting the regime’s repression and terrorist activities.” It said the ministry maintains advanced intelligence capabilities, including surveillance, espionage, and covert operations worldwide, with particular focus on Israel and Iranian citizens.

As intelligence minister, Khatib “played a significant role during recent protests across Iran, overseeing arrests and killings of demonstrators and shaping the regime’s intelligence assessments,” the Israeli army said, referencing unrest in 2022–2023 following the death of Mahsa Amini.

The military also accused Khatib of directing terrorist operations against Israeli and American targets internationally, as well as attacks on targets inside Israel, particularly during the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.