"The 'de facto top leader' was assassinated; Iran: will launch the 'toughest' strike against the US and Israel."

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After the assassination of Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Tehran has further escalated its retaliatory actions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran declared it would launch the "toughest" strikes ever against the US and Israel, with the intensity of the Middle East conflict further increasing.

According to the latest report from Xinhua News Agency, on the 18th, Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, stated in a declaration that Iran plans to "launch the toughest retaliatory strike on the enemy so far". Amir Hatami, commander-in-chief of Iran's army, said on the same day that a "decisive" response would be given for Larijani's assassination, "making the enemy regret it".

At the same time, Iran emphasized its institutional resilience. On the 18th, Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi told Al Jazeera that Larijani's death would not inflict a "fatal blow" to Iran's leadership, nor shake its political structure, stressing that the Iranian government "does not depend on a single individual", and that any personnel vacancy would ultimately be filled.

Retaliation is already underway. According to CCTV News, Iran launched missiles carrying cluster warheads toward the Tel Aviv area of Israel. Air raid sirens sounded throughout Israel in the early hours of the 18th. The Israel Defense Forces stated that Iranian missiles had been detected and interception operations were underway. Data show that, due to the Iranian missile attacks, the death toll in Israel has now risen to 14 people, and the Israeli Ministry of Health says another 192 people have been injured in the past 24 hours.

Israel launches targeted assassinations, US "not ready to end the war"

Israeli airstrikes continue to expand. CCTV News reported that on the 18th, the Israel Defense Forces stated that on the 17th, with the cooperation of the IDF Intelligence Directorate, the Israeli Air Force launched a series of airstrikes on the Tehran area, targeting Iranian military command centers, ballistic missile sites, and other installations, and struck multiple Iranian air defense systems.

In addition, CCTV World News reported that an Israeli official said that overnight on March 17th, the IDF carried out an attack targeting Iran's Intelligence Minister Ismail Khatib and is now awaiting relevant results.

On the 17th at the White House, Trump stated that Washington is "not yet ready" to end its hostilities against Iran, and said troops would be withdrawn "in the near future," but did not disclose details of a "post-war" plan. Trump also said that if US ground forces were sent into Iran, he is not concerned that it would become "another Vietnam" for the US. The market is pricing in a protracted conflict.

According to China Newsweek, the US Navy amphibious assault ship "Tripoli" carrying the 2,500 Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit has departed from the Indo-Pacific region for the Middle East, and the deployment is expected to be completed as early as late March.

Larijani - "De Facto Top Leader"

On March 18, Iran confirmed to the media that Larijani died in an Israeli airstrike.

China Newsweek analyzed that, since the death of Khamenei in February 2026, Larijani has been regarded by the US and Israel as Iran's "de facto top leader", holding actual supreme decision-making power, and leading counterattacks against the US and Israel, as well as the Hormuz Strait blockade strategy. His death has made observers more cautious about the stability of Iran's power structure and the prospects for a ceasefire negotiation window.

68-year-old Larijani was born into a Shia clerical family, served as speaker of parliament for 12 years, and held positions as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and security adviser to the Supreme Leader many times, commanding rare coordination skills and prestige among government, military, and the Revolutionary Guards.

The article notes that, after more senior military and political leaders have died, Iran's current power structure remains unstable; "Who is actually leading Iran" has become the new focus. In the context of rising wartime resource allocation and internal security pressures, the clarity of the decision-making chain will directly affect the controllability of the conflict.

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