Ark News Daily: Israel kills top Iranian regime leaders

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Ark News Daily – Israel Kills Top Iranian Regime Leaders

Podcast: Call Me Back – with Dan Senor
Host: Ark Media, Ilan Benatar
Episode: Ark News Daily: Israel kills top Iranian regime leaders
Date: March 18, 2026
Host/Anchor: Deborah Pardes
Episode Purpose: Presenting the challenges and dilemmas facing Israelis to a global audience, focusing on rapidly unfolding events in the Iran-Israel conflict.

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Main Theme

This episode delivers a succinct, in-depth update on a dramatic escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict: Israel’s targeted killing of two top Iranian regime leaders. The briefing breaks down the military, political, and social fallout of these actions, providing listeners with the global and domestic ramifications for Israel, Iran, the wider Middle East, and Jewish communities worldwide.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Israeli Strikes Decapitate Iranian Regime Leadership

Timestamps: [01:07] – [02:16]

• In a high-impact military operation, Israel killed Ali Laranjani (Iran’s national security chief) and Ghalamarza Salamani (Basij commander), among other senior officials, in overnight airstrikes.

  • The Basij is described as a paramilitary force notorious for suppressing dissent.

• Quote [01:07] – Israeli Official/Commentator:
  "In the past 24 hours, we knocked out two of the terrorist chieftains, the top terrorist chieftains of this tyranny."

• Iran International reports up to 300 Basij members killed.

• Subsequent IDF strikes hit over 10 checkpoints and positions in Tehran.

• The episode frames this as the most significant disruption to the regime’s leadership since the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei earlier in the war.

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2. Military and Regime Implications

Timestamps: [02:16] – [03:19]

• Military spokespersons emphasize the strategic importance:

  • Ali Laranjani was the “de facto leader”, coordinating attacks on civilians in the region and Europe.
  • Basij’s role highlighted in harsh repression of recent protests.

• Quote [02:16] – Military Analyst/IDF Spokesperson:
  "Ali Alijani he was the de facto leader of the Iranian war regime...The Basij is infamous for killing thousands of Iranian demonstrations in previous weeks."

• Killing these leaders intended to weaken regime control from within.

• Quote [02:45] – Nadav Shaishani, IDF Spokesman:
  "They are an important part of the security establishment and of the strength of the Iranian regime."

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3. Encouraging Iranian Dissent

Timestamps: [02:50] – [03:31]

• PM Netanyahu publicly encourages Iranians to seize the moment:

  • He refers to enabling Iranians to celebrate the pre-Islamic festival of fire (Nowruz) in defiance of the regime.

• Quote [03:19] – Israeli Official/Commentator:
  "This is meant to enable the brave people of Iran to celebrate the festival of fire. So celebrate and happy Nowruz. We're watching from above."

• The regime’s long-standing opposition to this holiday is linked to its broader effort to suppress cultural dissent.

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4. Signs of Crisis and Division Within Iran

Timestamps: [03:31] – [05:15]

• Internal regime distress and instability:

  • IDF intelligence reports the Iranian military is “in distress,” with declining morale and effectiveness post-strike.
  • The appointment of Majdabi Khamenei (son of late Supreme Leader) has fueled deep regime divisions. A rival faction opposed his succession, citing fears of Israeli assassination and referencing Khamenei’s alleged written opposition to hereditary succession.

• The New York Times details high-level disagreements and failed attempts to reverse the appointment, revealing cracks in regime unity.

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5. Ongoing Regional Escalation

Timestamps: [05:15] – [06:40]

• Despite leadership losses, Iran continues missile and drone attacks:

  • Cluster warheads strike multiple sites in central Israel, causing significant infrastructure damage but no injuries reported.
  • The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a repeated Iranian target, intercepting dozens of projectiles and briefly closing its airspace.
  • Iranian drones hit near diplomatic facilities in Baghdad.

• Gulf states weigh joint military action to secure oil routes blocked by Iran. UAE signals possible involvement in an international coalition.

• Quote [06:35] – Mohammad Bagar Galiboff (Iran’s Parliament Speaker):
  “The Strait of Hormuz won't ever, quote, return to its pre war status.”

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6. Fallout in US Politics

Timestamps: [06:40] – [07:59]

• In Washington, a notable resignation signals political aftershocks in the US:

  • Joe Kent, head of the National Counterterrorism Center and part of the isolationist MAGA wing, resigns in protest, accusing “Israel and its powerful American lobby for pushing America into the war.”
  • He previously asserted US troops were being used to “bait” Iran.

• Quote [07:17] – Joe Kent:
  "Our troops have been attacked, we think, at least 150 times since the October 7th incident began. And so we've seen this coming. This was an inevitable conclusion. We left them there as bait..."

• Right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson defends Kent, while Donald Trump distances himself, agreeing with Kent’s dismissal due to his views on Iran’s threat.

• Quote [07:59] – Donald Trump:
  "You seem like a pretty nice guy, but 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."

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Additional Recommendations

Timestamps: [08:11]–End

• The episode closes by suggesting listeners explore ARC Media’s other podcasts for deeper dives into:
  • The economic dimensions of the Iran war
  • The impact on Jewish communities worldwide

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Notable Quotes (With Speakers & Timestamps)

• “In the past 24 hours, we knocked out two of the terrorist chieftains, the top terrorist chieftains of this tyranny.” – Israeli Official/Commentator [01:07]
• "Ali Alijani he was the de facto leader of the Iranian war regime...The Basij is infamous for killing thousands of Iranian demonstrations in previous weeks." – Military Analyst/IDF Spokesperson [02:16]
• “They are an important part of the security establishment and of the strength of the Iranian regime.” – Nadav Shaishani, IDF Spokesman [02:45]
• "This is meant to enable the brave people of Iran to celebrate the festival of fire. So celebrate and happy Nowruz. We're watching from above." – Israeli Official/Commentator [03:19]
• "Our troops have been attacked, we think, at least 150 times since the October 7th incident began...We left them there as bait...” – Joe Kent [07:17]
• "Joe is the bravest man I know and he can't be dismissed as a nut." – Tucker Carlson [07:56] (paraphrased response cited by Deborah Pardes)
• "You seem like a pretty nice guy, but 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." – Donald Trump [07:59]
• “The Strait of Hormuz won't ever, quote, return to its pre war status.” – Mohammad Bagar Galiboff, Iran’s Parliament Speaker [06:35]

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Episode Flow & Tone

The briefing is brisk, urgent, and rich in detail, balancing military updates with high-level political and societal analysis. Pardes keeps her language clear and direct, integrating statements from officials, military spokespeople, and global commentators. The tone is serious, reflecting grave developments and the high stakes for all involved.

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By the end, listeners are up to date on seismic shifts inside the Iranian regime, Israel’s military strategy, complex US political reactions, and the mounting tension threatening regional stability and global energy supplies.

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Transcript

[Deborah Pardes]

Foreign you are listening to an Art Media podcast.

[Narrator/Host]

Because news from the war is moving so quickly, we at ARC Media have decided to start bringing you daily news updates. Every weekday, Arc Media's Deborah Pardes will deliver a concise 10 minute briefing on the most important stories shaping the day. So if you want to stay on top of the latest developments in the Iran war and what they mean for Israel, the Middle east and for Jews around the world, please follow the link in the show Notes and subscribe to our new podcast feed, ARK News Daily. For the next few days, you'll hear these updates here on the Call Me Back feed, but starting next week they'll move to the Ark News Daily feed. Now onto today's episode.

[Deborah Pardes]

It's Wednesday, March 18, 2026. From Arc Media, I'm Deborah Pardes and this is ARC News Daily.

[Israeli Official/Commentator]

In the past 24 hours, we knocked out two of the terrorist chieftains, the top terrorist chieftains of this tyranny Israeli

[Deborah Pardes]

airstrikes killed two of Iran's most senior remaining officials overnight Tuesday. It was the latest attack in an effort to decapitate the regime. According to a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The air force targeted Iran's national security chief Ali Laranjani and Basij commander Ghalamarza Salamani in two separate strikes. The Basij is a paramilitary force used by the regime to suppress dissent. The strikes also took out the group's deputy commander and other senior officials. Iran International, a London based Iranian opposition outlet, reported that as many as 300 Basij members may have been killed. Later on Tuesday, the IDF struck Basij soldiers at more than 10 checkpoints and other positions in Tehran. The operation is the most significant blow to the regime's leadership since the start of the war and the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with dozens of top military commanders in Tehran.

[Military Analyst/IDF Spokesperson]

Ali Alijani he was the de facto leader of the Iranian war regime. He was the one directing attacks towards civilians in the entire region and in Europe. Second elimination was the Basij commander. The Basij is infamous for killing thousands of Iranian demonstrations in previous weeks.

[Deborah Pardes]

IDF spokesman Nadav Shaishani emphasized that the two targets played a key role in the Islamic Republic's brutal oppression of its own people. He also hinted that killing them was crucial to weaken the regime's itself.

[Military Analyst/IDF Spokesperson]

They are an important part of the security establishment and of the strength of the Iranian regime.

[Deborah Pardes]

Netanyahu, in his statement, made the point more explicitly, saying that Israel is creating the conditions the Iranian people to quote, take their destiny in their own hands. He later recorded a message speaking directly to the Iranian people. He encouraged them to take to the streets to celebrate a fire festival that began last week. The regime has long sought to suppress this pre Islamic holiday, condemning it as pagan.

[Israeli Official/Commentator]

This is meant to enable the brave people of Iran to celebrate the festival of fire. So celebrate and happy Nowruz. We're watching from above.

[Deborah Pardes]

There are growing signs of instability inside Iran's leadership. IDF intelligence chief Major general Shlomi Binder said in a recent closed door briefing that Iranians military is quote, in distress, according to Israel's Channel 12. On Monday, Binder said Iranian officials are only now beginning to grasp the scale of the damage inflicted by Israeli and US strikes. He added that Iran's forces are increasingly reluctant or unable to operate. Also on Monday, the New York Times reported about deep divisions within the Iranian regime. The dispute apparently broke over Majdabi Khamenei's appointment last week to replace his father as supreme leader, the report said. Hardline figures in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard pushed to install the younger Khamenei, but a rival faction led by Lunjani opposed the move. They viewed the young Khamenei as an EP for the role. Also, they believed he would likely be assassinated by Israel. The report also noted that after Khamenei was elected, two of his father's closest aides tried to undo the vote. They said their late boss had told them he did not want his son to succeed him. They even presented a written will in which the elder Khamenei supposedly condemned hereditary succession, which he saw as a betrayal of the 1979 revolution. Iran is keeping up its bombardment of Israel and its Arab neighbors in a series of attacks on Israel. Overnight and throughout the day Tuesday, Iran appeared to continue its practice of equipping missiles with cluster warheads. Video showed impact craters at several locations across central Israel, including damage to train stations. No injuries were reported. The United Arab Emirates temporarily closed its airspace. It's been one of Iran's main targets in the war. Officials there reported intercepting dozens of ballistic missiles and drones fired by Iran during the day in Baghdad. Multiple Iranian drones have exploded near the American Embassy and other diplomatic facilities. No casualties have been reported. The Gulf states are also debating on how to respond to Iran's economic warfare. Anwar Ganghash, an advisor to the UAE's president, said the country could join an effort to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key passageway for global oil shipping that Iran has blocked during the war. But Iran is doubling down on its lockdown Mohammad Bagar Galiboff, Iran's parliament speaker, who generally is seen as one of the few remaining dominant figures of the regime. The wrote in a social media post that the Strait of Hormuz won't ever, quote, return to its pre war status. In Washington, a top aide to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigned on Tuesday. He is the first senior Trump administration official to quit in protest of the war. Joe Kent, who was the head of the National Counterterrorism center, claimed in a letter to Trump that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States. He also accused Israel and its, quote, powerful American lobby for pushing America into the war. Like Gabbard, his former boss, Kent is part of the isolationist wing of the MAGA movement. He's faced scrutiny for ties to far right figures, including prominent white nationalist Nick Fuentes. Before the war, Kent repeatedly claimed that US Troops in the Middle east were being used to bait Iran into war.

[Joe Kent]

Our troops have been attacked, we think, at least 150 times since the October 7th incident began. And so we've seen this coming. This was an inevitable conclusion. We left them there as bait because so many people in Washington, D.C. want to go to war with Iran, they want to go to a war with.

[Deborah Pardes]

Right wing podcaster Tucker Carlson, who has railed against the war, often in antisemitic terms, is a close ally of Kent. In response to Kent's firing, Tucker told the New York Times, quote, joe is the bravest man I know and he can't be dismissed as a nut. In contrast, Trump, who has been increasingly distancing himself from the isolationist camp in his movement, welcomed Kent's resignation.

[Joe Kent]

You seem like a pretty nice guy, but 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.

[Deborah Pardes]

The question to go deeper, check out ARC Media's other podcasts. On today's what's yous Number? Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wisner Levy ask who's winning the economic war with Iran. And on for heaven's sake. Yossi Klein Halevi and Daniel Hartman look at how the war has impacted Jews around the world. I'm Deborah Pardes and this is ArkNews Daily. Arc news daily is written by andrew tobin. Arc media's executive producer is adam james levin eridy. Our production manager is brittany cohen. Sound and video editing is by liquid audio. Music is by yuval simo. Our community manager is ava weiner. See you tomorrow.