The Israeli military said it had killed Ali Shadmani, the wartime Chief of Staff of the Central Command Khatam al-Anbiya - a strategic agency of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in an airstrike targeting the capital Tehran.
On the Israeli side, Mr. Shadmani is Iran's highest military commander today and the person closest to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the military. However, Iran has not responded to this information.
Ali Shadmani has just been appointed to the position of Chief of Staff for the war after his predecessor, General Gholamali Rashid, was killed in an airstrike conducted by Israel earlier this week. The removal of two high-ranking figures in a short period of time is being assessed by observers as a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stressed that Shadmani had a direct role in organizing the operation and approving Iran's attack plan through the Khatam al-Anbiya Command. With the roles he has held, he has had a direct influence on plans to attack Israel, the IDF said.
Israel's public recognition of being behind attacks targeting top IRGC generals shows a clear strategy to undermine Iran's military command system. These developments come as tensions between the two sides continue to escalate in the Middle East, especially after airstrikes and missile clashes have occurred at increasingly high frequency.
The attack has also raised concerns about the possibility of further military retaliations from Iran, as both sides increasingly sink deeper into a chain of retaliatory actions and reactions. Although there has been no official response from Tehran, analysts believe that Iran will likely find a way to respond accordingly in the coming time.
Israel has not yet provided details about the time and method of the airstrike targeting Mr. Shadmani. However, the announcement of the destruction of one of Iran's key military figures shows Tel Aviv's determination to counter threats from Tehran, while sending a strong signal to Iran's military apparatus.
