Strikes kill high-level Iranian officials in another blow to country's leadership

Geoff Bennett:

Welcome to the "News Hour."

Iranian officials confirmed today that Ali Larijani was killed by an Israeli airstrike that also killed a second top security official. Larijani had been a fixture of Iran's regime for decades and had essentially led Iran since the killing of its supreme leader at the start of the war.

Amna Nawaz:

Also today, for the first time in years, a senior U.S. government official resigned in protest. Joe Kent directed the National Counterterrorism Center and today refuted President Trump's statements that Iran presented an imminent threat. Kent said the war was in Israel's interest, but not the United States'.

Nick Schifrin starts us off looking at both of those stories, beginning with Israel's strikes on the regime in Tehran.

Nick Schifrin:

In Tehran today, an Israeli assault to decapitate the Iranian state. Ali Larijani was the country's top national security official. And analysts believed he was largely running the country since the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Larijani was responsible for the ayatollah's succession plan, oversaw the recent nuclear negotiations with the U.S., was the main conduit for decades for Iran's allies China and Russia. And during January protests that challenged the theocracy's 47-year-old rule, he oversaw the crackdown that left tens of thousands dead.

At his last public appearance at this pro-government protest, he was, to the end, defiant.

Ali Larijani, Iranian Security Chief (through interpreter):

Trump's problem is that he does not have the wisdom to realize that Iranian people are brave. They are a strong nation and a determined nation.

President Donald Trump:

He was in charge of the killing of protesters. It's an evil group.

Nick Schifrin:

In Washington, President Trump praised Israel's strike on Larijani and these follow-on Israeli strikes today that Iran confirmed killed Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Basij Militia, responsible for domestic security, including the January crackdown.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strikes a path to regime change.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through interpreter):

We are undermining this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people an opportunity to remove it.

Nick Schifrin:

Netanyahu also suggested that Israeli jets will soon help defend the U.S.'s Gulf allies from Iranian attacks.

Benjamin Netanyahu (through interpreter):

With God's help, we have reached a situation where, after October 7, when we were on the brink of collapse, we are now a mighty power, almost global, together with our ally, who is the global superpower, fighting shoulder to shoulder.

President Donald Trump:

Israel has been our partner. Israel has been very, very strong.

Nick Schifrin:

It is that very American-Israeli collaboration...

Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Israel: The president asked me to come and make sure you were OK.

Nick Schifrin:

... celebrated today in a social media video of Netanyahu with American Ambassador Mike Huckabee and crescendoing in this joint U.S.-Israeli war in Iran that came under attack today by National Counterterrorist Center Director Joe Kent.

He publicly resigned in protest, writing to President Trump directly, saying -- quote -- "Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America first platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that, should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie."

Multiple former officials tell PBS NewsHour that Kent's criticism is echoed by other members of the administration. Kent is an Army veteran who deployed 11 times and whose wife was killed by ISIS in Syria. He is also a politician who twice ran and lost congressional races in Washington state.

President Donald Trump:

When I read his statement, I realized that it's a good thing that he's out, because he said that Iran was not a threat? Iran was a threat. Every country realized what a threat Iran was. The question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it.

Nick Schifrin:

Today, Iran and its proxies continued to prove their ongoing threat. Rockets and drones targeted the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while, in Central Israel, a cluster warhead fired by Iran spewed shrapnel into a parking lot and train station.

Israel maintained its own pressure today on Lebanon, pounding Southern Beirut, where Hezbollah operates. Since these strikes began, Lebanon's Health Ministry said today 900 have been killed. This regional war continues to rage and spark political battles in the U.S.

For the PBS "News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin.