Tel Aviv, March 17 -- Israel's military escalation in West Asia intensified sharply on Tuesday after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it had eliminated Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, in what Israeli leadership described as a major blow to Iran's power structure.

In a strongly worded statement following the killings, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the operation, saying, "This morning, we eliminated Ali Larijani," whom he described as a central figure in Iran's ruling establishment and closely tied to its military apparatus.

Netanyahu further asserted that Israel is conducting aerial operations deep inside Iranian territory, ai...