Larijani's Visit To Daughter's House Sealed His Fate. How He Was Located

Iran's security chief Ali Larijani's killing deals a major blow to Tehran's power structure as it retaliates to US-Israeli attacks amid a war that has pushed the Middle East into fresh chaos.

Widely known as a "backroom powerbroker" and the architect of Iran's security policy, his assassination marks the fall of a most senior leader after Khamenei's death on February 28. A right-hand man to senior Khamenei, whose son Mojtaba has succeeded him as the supreme leader, local media described him as one of Iran's "prominent and prudent" officials.

Larijani oversaw Iran's internal security and defence strategy, according to analysts. Iran has confirmed his killing and called him a martyr, honouring him for his role in protecting the Iranian regime.

Another senior Iranian figure, the chief of the Basij paramilitary, Gholamreza Soleimani, was also killed in Israeli strikes in central Tehran on the intervening night of March 16-17.

Larijani Was Target Number 2

After the assassination of the powerful Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, security chief Larijani was the "number one target" for the Israeli forces, according to The Jerusalem Post. But pursuing him wasn't easy since Khamenei's death had already sent the senior Iranian figures into complex security folds. Larijani was no exception. He knew how to avoid detection and activated precautionary plans to delay any Israeli efforts to identify his locations.

Read: Why The Larijani Family Was Called The Kennedys Of Iran

The security chief kept changing his location, constantly moving to new secret hideouts over the last two weeks, the report suggests. That would mean, by the time Israeli intelligence located Larijani's hideout, he would have already moved to another.

Larijani was ultimately located when he was visiting his daughter on Tuesday. He was eliminated in a strike on his daughter's house in Pardis in Tehran's suburbs, reported the Iranian semi-official Fars news agency. His son, a deputy, and several bodyguards were also killed in the attack.

Iranians Tipped Off About Larijani?

Israeli intelligence services reportedly received inputs about Larijani's whereabouts from Tehran's residents. The assassination was made possible due to the "valuable intelligence" from the residents, Iran International cited an Israeli official as saying.

Read: "Iran Residents' Intel Made Ali Larijani Killing Possible": Israeli Official

The idea of scooping information from the people emerged out of Larijani's recent public appearances despite threats of strikes. The official called out what he said was the "arrogant behaviour" of the late Iranian leader, referring to him attending the Quds Day rallies. Such appearances in rallies and the media interactions exposed him to public view and led to his identification, he said.

Iran Vows Vengeance

Iran has vowed to avenge Larijani's assassination. Its army chief Amir Hatami said that Tehran's response to the high-profile killing will be both "decisive and regrettable."