Israel does not believe in Iran's "pre-death will" system for appointing successors. Currently, Netanyahu's strategy is to carry out as many executions as possible before Trump stops it, and to cripple Iran as much as possible, extending the time it takes for Iran to recover, so that Israel does not face Iranian retaliation when the US withdraws from the conflict.
Israeli media and officials have already claimed that the air strike that occurred last night targeted one of Iran's top figures: Ali Larijani. It is currently unclear whether he is dead or injured. The Israeli military said that they achieved "significant elimination results" overnight.
If it were not a high-level assassination, the Israeli military would not use the term "significant elimination results." It must be those who can influence the course of events.
Gholamreza Soleimani, a major general of the Basij militia, is reportedly also seriously injured in the same attack. The Basij militia plays a key role in maintaining stability at the grassroots level in Iran. Killing him aims to undermine the morale of the militia and clear the way for opposition forces to take to the streets and overthrow the Iranian authorities led by little Khamenei.
Larijani has long served as the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and was almost 20 years ago already the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Because of his differing political views with Ahmadinejad, he resigned. He was also a commander of the Revolutionary Guard and had extensive connections in both the military and political circles. He was a key strategic advisor to Khamenei and has been operating in the center of power for decades, working tirelessly to stabilize and strengthen the Islamic regime.
Larijani has a wide range of responsibilities, including nuclear negotiations, regional relations, and handling internal unrest. If his serious injuries are confirmed, this will create a political vacuum in the highest decision-making circle. If Larijani actually dies, Iran will face big problems, as he has always been the key figure operating behind the scenes. Although he has a designated successor, not every successor has the experience and influence.
This shows that even senior political figures like Larijani, who are not part of the military or the Revolutionary Guard, may not be spared from being eliminated.
In the past, the Israeli military's targeted eliminations, including in Lebanon and Gaza, have had a very high success rate.
Missiles cannot eliminate them all, but they will regrow like grass after the spring wind blows.
If this attack truly kills Larijani, his deputy will likely take over without surprise.
Through such a continuous cycle of "replacement" of the dead, although it appears structurally intact and institutionally unbroken, its influence is constantly diminishing, causing severe internal damage to Iran. This is a military game, not a math problem.
In fact, each replacement reduces authority significantly.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859901076855816/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.