Israel has launched an unprecedented offensive in Iran, dubbed Operation "Like a Lion". Below are the main known details of the strikes and what preceded them:
Who Was Eliminated in the Opening Blow
According to Israeli sources, dozens of top Iranian officials were killed. Iran officially confirmed the deaths of:
Hossein Salami, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
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Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces
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Gholam Ali Rashid, his deputy
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Senior nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Abd al-Hamid Minouchehr
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Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, President of the Islamic Azad University
Iran has already announced replacements for its military and IRGC leadership. This is the evolving list of those eliminated — and their successors.
Khamenei’s Response After the Attack
In a statement broadcast by Iranian media following the strike — which included assassinations of senior Iranian figures and hits on nuclear enrichment sites — Supreme Leader Khamenei declared:
“Our great nation of Iran, at dawn the Zionist regime extended its bloody and filthy hand to commit crimes in our beloved land, revealing its wicked nature more than ever by striking residential centers. The regime should expect severe punishment.”
Israel reported the elimination of dozens of senior Iranian figures. Khamenei admitted:
“Several commanders and scientists were killed in the strikes. Their successors and colleagues will immediately resume their positions. Through this crime, the Zionist regime has carved a bitter and painful fate for itself — and it will surely meet it.”
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Channel: Declaration of War
A media outlet affiliated with the IRGC stated:
“We mourn several leaders who were killed in cowardly assassinations carried out by the Zionist military. These assassinations constitute a declaration of war against Iran. Therefore, the Revolutionary Guards declare maximum readiness. Israel must await an unprecedented and severe response in history.”
Hossein Salami: IRGC Commander Killed
The first senior figure Iran confirmed as killed was Hossein Salami, Commander of the IRGC. In their obituary, they wrote:
“Salami was one of the most prominent commanders of the Islamic Revolution and stood at the forefront of defending its principles and the nation. His path will continue with double motivation. The Zionist regime will pay dearly for this crime, carried out with the knowledge of the White House and the U.S. terrorist regime.”
Just yesterday, Salami had threatened Israel:
“The enemy threatens us from time to time, but we are ready for any scenario. We warn the enemy not to make any mistake and to consider the consequences of its actions. We are prepared for any war at any level.”
He had been sanctioned by the U.S. since 2019 and once declared:
“The Revolutionary Guards are proud to be labeled a terrorist organization by Washington.”
According to Iranian reports, Salami’s replacement is Ahmad Vahidi, a former defense minister.
Who Is Ahmad Vahidi?
Vahidi, now named to lead the IRGC, is a notorious figure:
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Sanctioned by numerous Western nations
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Wanted by Interpol upon Argentina’s request for involvement in the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people
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Was head of the IRGC's secret operations unit during the bombing
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Commanded the Lebanese battalion of the IRGC in the 1980s
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Linked to the 1984 abduction of CIA agent William Buckley in Lebanon
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Led the Quds Force for seven years and is credited with training dozens of foreign elements
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Oversaw development of Iran’s missile systems
Mohammad Bagheri: Iran’s Chief of Staff
Iran confirmed the death of Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri. Initial reports claimed he was in the command center and unharmed, but later Iranian media confirmed he too was killed in the opening strike.
Yesterday, Bagheri had ordered the start of military exercises “focused on the enemy’s actions.” He had served as Chief of Staff for the past nine years. Amir Habibollah Sayyari, a former navy commander, has now been named acting head of the Iranian forces.
Gholam Ali Rashid: Deputy Chief of Staff
Bagheri’s deputy, Gholam Ali Rashid, 72, was also killed in the initial wave. Rashid was a senior commander dating back to the Iran-Iraq War and led Khatam al-Anbiya, Iran’s highest operational military headquarters.
Nuclear Scientists and Academic Leadership
Among those killed:
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Fereydoon Abbasi, former head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, a nuclear physicist who survived a previous assassination attempt attributed to Israel 15 years ago. A motorcyclist had attached an explosive device to his car while moving, but Abbasi managed to escape.
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Abd al-Hamid Minouchehr, nuclear engineer and dean of the Faculty of Nuclear Engineering at Shahid Beheshti University
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Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, President of the Islamic Azad University
Ali Shamkhani: Senior Adviser Wounded or Killed
Iran’s Nour News Agency reported that Ali Shamkhani, Khamenei’s military adviser, was seriously wounded in a strike at his home. However, Iran International, affiliated with the opposition, claimed he was also killed. No official confirmation yet.
Shamkhani is a prominent former Iranian Navy commander, former defense minister, and past presidential candidate. He also served as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and head of the Iranian Army’s Strategic Research Center.
The Goal: Crippling Iran’s Military Leadership
The targeted assassination of Iran’s top command structure aims to destabilize the military hierarchy, prevent the rebuilding of Iran’s nuclear program, and deter any harsh retaliation against Israel.