In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, Iran’s top military official, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, was killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike on Tehran early Friday, according to Iran News Agency. Bagheri, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, played a critical role in overseeing Iran’s conventional military operations and its coordination with the IRGC.
The attack, described as one of the deadliest on Iran’s military elite in recent memory, also claimed the lives of other high-ranking commanders. Among those killed were IRGC Commander-in-Chief Major General Hossein Salami and Major General Gholamali Rashid, key figures in Iran’s defense strategy.
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The strikes extended beyond military figures, killing two prominent nuclear scientists — Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi and Fereydoon Abbasi — and damaging both strategic military sites and civilian infrastructure. The breadth of the operation has led to flight suspensions at Tehran’s main international airport and heightened fears of further escalation.
Analysts suggest the airstrike, coming just days before new nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S., may derail diplomatic progress and ignite renewed hostilities in the region. While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility, the precision and scale of the operation point to a significant strategic move.
