IRGC Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani Killed in Israeli Strike

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Israel Eliminates Iran’s Top Military Leadership in ‘Targeted Assassinations’

By TRH News Desk

NEW DELHI, June 13, 2025 – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander, Major General Esmail Qaani, was killed in an Israeli airstrike early Friday morning, according to a report by The New York Times citing an Iranian source. The strike, part of Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion,” targeted multiple military and nuclear sites across Iran, marking a significant escalation in hostilities between the two nations.

The news, confirmed by Middle East media outlets including Al Jazeera and Tasnim News Agency, sent shockwaves through the region, with Iran vowing a robust retaliation.

The airstrike, which began at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time (IST), hit the IRGC headquarters in Tehran and other strategic locations, including the Natanz nuclear facility. Qaani, who succeeded the assassinated Qassem Soleimani in 2020, was a key figure in coordinating Iran’s proxy networks across the Middle East. His death, alongside other top commanders, underscores the precision and scope of Israel’s operation, aimed at crippling Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities, as stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Eyewitnesses reported explosions and black smoke over Tehran, with IRNA stating that the strike demolished a residential compound, housing military leaders in the Shahid Mahalati neighbourhood. The Guardian reported that the attack killed at least a dozen civilians, adding to the mounting casualties. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a statement on X, acknowledged the loss of “commanders and scientists,” promising that their successors would continue their mission.

The Israeli strikes have claimed the lives of several of Iran’s most influential military leaders, each with a significant role in the country’s regional influence and defence strategy. US President Donald Trump in an interview to a US-based media outlets said that several of Iranian officials who had been involved in negotiations in the past are now dead.

Middle East media outlets provide context to these losses:

Major General Esmail Qaani (Quds Force Commander): Qaani, killed in the latest strike, was a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War and took over the Quds Force after Soleimani’s killing in a US drone strike in 2020. Al Jazeera noted his efforts to revive Iran’s proxy network in Iraq, including groups like Hashd al-Shaabi, and his close ties with Hezbollah. The New York Times reported his death as a “major blow” to Iran’s extraterritorial operations.
Major General Hossein Salami (IRGC Commander-in-Chief): Salami, killed in the Tehran strike according to Tasnim News Agency, was the IRGC’s top leader since 2019. The Guardian highlighted his role in overseeing Iran’s ballistic missile program and countering US influence, making him a prime target in Israel’s strategy to disrupt Iran’s military chain of command.
Major General Mohammad Bagheri (Armed Forces Chief of Staff): Bagheri, reported killed by Iranian state media and cited by The New York Times, was the architect of Iran’s military strategy since 2016. Al Jazeera described him as a key figure in integrating the IRGC with regular armed forces, enhancing Iran’s defensive posture against Israel and the US.
General Gholamali Rashid (Deputy Commander): Rashid, another casualty per IRNA, served as deputy commander and was instrumental in coordinating Iran’s airspace defences. The Guardian noted his recent warnings of Israeli aggression, adding irony to his death in the strikes.
Brigadier General Mohammed Zahedi (Quds Force Syria-Lebanon Commander): Killed in an earlier April strike in Damascus, as reported by Carnegie Endowment, Zahedi was a long-standing figure in Iran’s regional proxy wars. Al Jazeera highlighted his role as a weapons disseminator to Hezbollah, with a previously unseen photo showing him with Soleimani and Imad Mughniyeh.

These losses have decapitated Iran’s military leadership, with The New York Times quoting a senior Iranian official calling it a “targeted assassination campaign.” The strikes also claimed the lives of nuclear scientists like Fereydoun Abbasi, further jeopardizing Iran’s nuclear program.

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