Kamal Ghorui
Israel has confirmed it killed seven senior figures in Iran’s security leadership in a series of coordinated strikes on Tehran, including a top aide to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation began with a “surprise attack” after military intelligence identified two locations in the Iranian capital where leading security officials had gathered. According to the IDF, the targets formed part of what it described as Iran’s senior command structure overseeing military operations and strategic weapons programmes.Among those confirmed dead is Ali Shamkhani, a former IRGC Navy chief and army commander who served as a senior adviser to Khamenei. Israel had previously targeted him during last June’s hostilities and initially believed he had been killed then.The IDF also confirmed the death of Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), accusing him of leading what it called a “plan to destroy Israel”, overseeing missile and drone attacks and backing proxy groups across the region. Salah Asadi, identified as chief of intelligence at Iran’s military emergency headquarters, was also killed, along with Mohammad Shirazi, head of Khamenei’s military bureau since 1989.Israel said Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister and a former air force chief, died in the strikes. It alleged he was responsible for long-range missile production and weapons transfers to allied groups, as well as oversight of SPND, an organisation linked by Israel to advanced weapons development. Hossein Jabal-Amelian and Reza Mozafari-Nia, both associated with SPND, were also named among the dead.The strikes formed part of a wider joint operation by Israel and the United States. US President Donald Trump described it as a “massive” campaign aimed at crippling Iran’s military capabilities and halting any potential move towards nuclear weapons. In a video message, he urged Iranians to “take over your government” once operations conclude.Iran responded with waves of drones and missiles targeting Israel and US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The US military reported no American casualties and minimal damage to its bases. Israeli emergency services said dozens of missiles were fired, with many intercepted.Reports in Israeli media suggested Khamenei himself may have been killed, with claims his compound was among the first sites hit. However, Iranian officials have denied those reports, insisting he remains alive. Tehran has yet to confirm the deaths of the senior figures named by Israel.
