Ali Larijani, the closest thing Iran’s Islamic Republic currently has (er, had) to a political leader, is believed dead following an Israeli airstrike Tuesday. And that’s just the start of today’s good news concerning Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion.
It seems like only yesterday [It was only yesterday, Steve —Editor] that we discussed how Iran’s regime losses — from the topmost echelons all the way down to Basij street-thug enforcers — make the country increasingly ripe for regime change.
Well, yesterday’s news of limited drone strikes on individual Basij thugs pales in comparison to today’s news from Mossad Commentary [unofficial]: “Overnight strikes reportedly killed ~300 Basij commanders and field officials, targeting key command, logistics, and operational centers across Tehran.”
Facilities hit include “vehicle repair units, Mohammad Rasoulollah Corps HQ, Imam Hadi command center, and Imam Ali battalions.” The result is that “the Basij’s capability to mobilize against protests and maintain internal control” is severely degraded.
It’s this big a deal:
🔴 COMMANDER OF THE BASIJ UNIT ELIMINATED
Yesterday, the IDF targeted & eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past 6 years.
Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence,… pic.twitter.com/aJ0dNtCFz0
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 17, 2026