Tehran: In a significant reshuffle following deadly Israeli airstrikes, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed new top military commanders to key positions after multiple senior officials were killed in targeted attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities.
According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the Israeli strikes early Friday claimed the lives of Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces; Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); and Gholam-Ali Rashid, the head of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
In response, Ayatollah Khamenei swiftly named new military leaders:
Abdolrahim Mousavi, previously the commander of Iran’s regular army, was appointed as the new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
Mohammad Pakpour, formerly heading the IRGC’s Ground Forces, was promoted as the new IRGC commander.
Ali Shadmani, who had been serving as deputy coordinator at Khatam al-Anbiya, was assigned to lead the Central Headquarters.
The devastating airstrikes reportedly involved over 200 Israeli fighter jets and have also resulted in the deaths of six nuclear scientists, including prominent figures Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, as well as a yet-unknown number of civilians, as per Chinese news agency Xinhua and Iran’s Tasnim News.
In a strongly worded statement, Ayatollah Khamenei condemned the Israeli operation, calling it a “heinous crime” and warning of “severe punishment” against Tel Aviv.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), in a statement posted on X, confirmed the elimination of three top Iranian military figures. “These are three ruthless mass murderers with international blood on their hands. The world is a better place without them,” the statement read.
This marks one of the most intense escalations in the decades-long shadow war between Israel and Iran, triggering global fears of a wider regional war in the Middle East.
Although Iranian authorities have yet to officially confirm the deaths of all senior figures mentioned by Israel, Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported massive explosions across Tehran and multiple cities on Friday morning, and confirmed the death of IRGC chief Hossein Salami.
Addressing the nation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the assault as a “targeted military operation” aimed at neutralising what he called “the existential Iranian threat.”
“This mission will continue until we eliminate every threat to Israel’s survival,” Netanyahu declared. Defence Minister Israel Katz termed it a “preemptive strike,” and declared a special state of emergency across Israel to bolster national security.
The military action comes amid increasing tension over Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council had earlier warned that any attack on its soil would provoke immediate retaliation, including possible strikes on Israeli nuclear facilities, which Tehran claims it has pinpointed through recent intelligence efforts.
As the situation rapidly deteriorates, both regional powers appear poised on the brink of full-scale conflict, with international observers urging restraint and immediate de-escalation.
