Iranian Defence Minister, IRGC chief among 7 top commanders killed in Israeli strikes

Tel Aviv: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday announced that seven senior Iranian military commanders, including Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and the Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were killed in what it described as precise airstrikes carried out across Iran.

Iran has not officially confirmed the deaths of the commanders named by Israel.

The reported killings occurred as part of a wider joint offensive by the United States and Israel targeting Iran’s military and strategic infrastructure, a development that has sharply heightened tensions across the Middle East.

According to the IDF, the operation was executed by the Israel Air Force (IAF) after the Military Intelligence Directorate identified two separate locations in Tehran where high-ranking Iranian security officials were gathered.

Among those Israel said were killed was Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a prominent figure in Iran’s defence establishment. The IDF noted that Shamkhani had also been targeted during last year’s hostilities.

The Israeli military further confirmed the death of Mohammad Pakpour, identified as the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IDF accused Pakpour of spearheading a “plan to destroy Israel” and of overseeing missile and drone operations directed against Israeli targets.

Other officials named by Israel as having been killed include Salah Asadi, Mohammad Shirazi, Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and senior figures associated with Iran’s SPND weapons development body.

Israel alleged that the officials played central roles in missile production, coordination with regional proxy groups and the advancement of sophisticated weapons programmes, including projects linked to nuclear development.

“The world is a better place without them,” the IDF said.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was also killed in the US-Israel strike This marks an inflexion point in the 46-year Shia-theocratic rule as Tehran’s retaliation set off conflagrations in a swath of the Middle East.
–IANS