Ali Larijani, Iran's top security official, was killed in a missile strike by Israel's intelligence services, just four days after making a public appearance in Tehran. This marks a significant milestone in Israel's campaign to weaken Iran's regime, which has been ongoing for weeks.
The Israeli military has been targeting the regime's internal security forces, including the Basij militia and special police forces, with airstrikes and drone attacks. The campaign has been successful in disrupting command and control, harming morale, and creating a sense of disorder among the security forces.
Iran's security forces are under stress and on the run, with many hiding in residential buildings and using civilian facilities as makeshift bases. The regime has taken down the internet and is closely controlling information, making it difficult to assess the full extent of the damage.
Despite the challenges, Israel's security establishment believes that Iran's crumbling economy and popular anger have put the regime on an irreversible path to collapse. However, it remains to be seen whether the campaign will be enough to bring down the regime, or if it will ultimately be up to the Iranian people to decide its fate.
