Israel says it killed Iran’s ‘senior-most military official’

Israel said on Tuesday that it had killed Iran’s wartime chief of staff Maj. Gen. Ali Shamdani, the country’s most senior military leader. IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a statement that Shamdani was killed at the regime’s headquarters in Tehran. 

“For the second time in 5 days, the IDF has eliminated Iran’s Wartime Chief of Staff, the regime’s top military commander,” the IDF wrote on X. “Ali Shadmani, Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise intelligence.”

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Shamdani led the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters — also referred to as Iran’s military emergency command — for approximately four days before he was killed, according to the Times of Israel. Shamdani was preceded by Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, who was killed in Israel’s initial strikes on Iran on June 13.

In his role, Shamdani allegedly managed combat operations and approved Iran’s attack plans, the Times of Israel reported.

NBC News reported that Israel took out the commander “in the heart of Tehran,” seizing a “sudden opportunity.”

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Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced on his English-language X account that Shadmani would be taking Rashid’s place after the Iranian military leader was killed in Israel’s original attacks.

“In view of Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid’s martyrdom at the hands of the vile Zionist regime, and in light of Major General Ali Shadmani’s meritorious service and valuable experience, I confer the rank of Major Gen. & appoint him Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Central HQ,” Khamenei wrote in a post on X.

Since the launch of Operation Rising Lion, Israel has taken out several key figures in Iran’s military and nuclear proliferation programs. 

In a statement, Defrin vowed that Israel would “relentlessly pursue” its enemies “through advanced intelligence capabilities, exploiting emerging opportunities, air superiority, and complex operational planning.”