Israel's third top-level assassination in two days
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 18 March 2026
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has been killed in an overnight Israeli strike. It comes just a day after Israel assasinated Ali Larijani and another senior Iranian commander, and as thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran for their funerals. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the latest killing as ''cowardly".
Also: an Iranian petrochemical complex on the world's largest natural gas field is hit by Israeli airstrikes - a significant escalation against Iran's energy infastructure. Retaliatory strikes by Iran and its allied militia groups continue across the region. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky tells the BBC he has a "very bad feeling" about the impact of the Middle East conflict on the situation in Ukraine.
Elsewhere, the death toll in Monday's deadly Pakistani strike on Kabul is confirmed at more than 140. Also: Disney has a new chief executive - we find out what might be in his inbox. Our correspondent in Havana reports on how Cubans are continuing to struggle amid a three-month fuel blockade by the Trump administration. And how Venezuela defeated the US to win the World Baseball Classic in a thrilling final in Miami.
The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.7 | This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:10.8 | I'm Andrew Peach and we're recording this podcast at 16 hours GMT on Wednesday the 18th of March. |
| 0:17.2 | Here are our main stories. |
| 0:18.9 | The Iranian intelligence minister is assassinated a day after |
| 0:22.2 | its powerful security chief was killed. Israel also strikes an Iranian petrochemical complex on the |
| 0:28.3 | world's largest natural gas field. Tehran continues its retaliation against Gulf neighbors |
| 0:33.8 | who are meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss their response. |
| 0:44.1 | Also in this podcast, Disney has a new chief executive. We'll find out what's in his inbox and how Venezuela defeated the US to win the world baseball classic. |
| 0:49.2 | All our fellow Venezuelans living abroad are celebrating this victory by the Venezuelan national team. |
| 0:55.6 | Long live Venezuela, the best country in the world. |
| 1:05.1 | Just as Iran was preparing to bury the country's security chief, Ali Larry Jani, who was killed by Israel on Tuesday. |
| 1:12.2 | Israel announced it had assassinated another senior Iranian official. |
| 1:16.4 | Iran's president, Mazud Pazekian, confirmed the death of the intelligence minister, |
| 1:20.6 | Esmar Khadib, calling it a cowardly assassination. |
| 1:24.2 | The Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, said the military had beenised to kill any senior figure of the Islamic Republic in its sights. |
| 1:31.9 | The BBC's Persian service has been receiving messages from Iranians reacting to the death. |
| 1:37.0 | Their words here spoken by our team. |
| 1:39.2 | It seems like this killing of Khatib might help the people since he was among the leadership though |
| 1:44.4 | more so larijani it might be that when people come out after a call to protest |
| 1:49.6 | the likelihood of them being killed is lower now even though they all have |
| 1:54.1 | replacement these were the main figures perhaps the IRJC will see the |
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