These Are the Top Iranian Leaders Targeted in Israel’s Precision Strikes
An official list of the Iranian generals who were killed as a result of the missiles deployed by Israel early Friday morning has been published. The attacks, according to officials within the IDF, were a result of a pre-emptive strike against Iran and its continued experimentation with nuclear weapons.
Reports also indicated that the attacks killed several top Iranian officials, including the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Forces commander Esmail Qaani. The death of the 67-year-old, who was responsible for leading all overseas military intelligence for Iran’s proxies in the region, is a major blow to Iran’s forces.
Israel struck at least 100 targets in Iran, including key nuclear and ballistic missile sites, in a three-pronged attack devastating the country. It was reported that the death toll continues to mount.
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Gen. Hossein Salami
Among the dead was Iran’s General Hossein Salami, the leader of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard. Salami’s death is another blow to the Iranian military as they now attempt to retaliate against Israel.
Salami, 65, was confirmed dead by state media. It was reported that the military official rose to power one of Iran’s most powerful men after he was appointed as head of the guard in 2019 by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It was reported that Salami was famous for espousing harsh rhetoric. Prior to his death, it was reported that Khamenei tapped Mohammad Pakpour to replace Salami as head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh
Another casualty from the bombing was Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s missile program. The man’s death was officially confirmed by Iranian officials.
According to the Israeli military, Hajizadeh was killed when a missile hit an “underground command center” where Revolutionary Guard officials were allegedly preparing “for an attack on the state of Israel.”
“Hajizadeh publicly declared his commitment to Israel’s destruction at various events in recent years and played a central role in developing the Iranian regime’s plan for Israel’s destruction,” the Israeli military said. The military also confirmed that two other senior officials were killed in the blast.
Gen. Mohammad Bagheri
Officials also confirmed that the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, who was the country’s highest-ranking military official, was also killed. According to reports, Bagheri oversaw both the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the rest of the country’s military.
It was reported that in 2019, Bagheri was sanctioned by the US along with several others in Khamenei’s inner circle. It was alleged by the Treasury Department that he had for decades “oppressed the Iranian people, exported terrorism, and advanced destabilizing policies around the world.”
Hours before the bombs landed, it was reported that Khamenei had named Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, previously the top army commander, as the new head of the armed forces, replacing Bagheri.
In addition to the top brass of Iran’s military, it was reported by the country’s Supreme Leader that Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid, leading nuclear scientist Fereidoun Abbasi, Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and nuclear advisor Ali Shamkhani were also killed.
