Iran has named a new group of senior military commanders following Israeli airstrikes that killed several high-ranking generals, including the armed forces’ chief of staff and key leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Read More : Jerusalem Faces Missile Threat Amid Overnight Iran-Israel Strikes
Among the casualties was General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s highest-ranking military officer, who served as chief of staff and reported directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Bagheri, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, was killed in the strikes that began early Friday.
Other prominent victims included Mehdi Rabani (Deputy for Operations), Gholamreza Mehrabi (Deputy for Intelligence), and Hossein Salami, the IRGC’s leader. The attacks also wiped out eight senior commanders from the IRGC’s aerospace division, including Ali Akbar Hajizadeh, a key figure in Iran’s missile and drone programs.
New Appointments
In response, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly appointed new military leaders:
- Brigadier General Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new chief of staff—marking the first time an army officer (rather than an IRGC member) has held the position. The 65-year-old veteran received military training after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
- General Mohammad Pakpour as the new IRGC commander-in-chief. A seasoned officer, Pakpour led armored units during the Iran-Iraq war and previously commanded the IRGC’s ground forces for 16 years.
- Amir Hatami, promoted to major-general, as the new army commander. Hatami rose through the ranks during the Iran-Iraq war and played a crucial role in repelling a major offensive by the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and Iraqi forces.
- Brigadier General Majid Mousavi as the new head of the IRGC’s aerospace division. He is a key figure in Iran’s missile, drone, and space programs, having previously worked with Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, the architect of Iran’s missile strategy who died in a 2011 explosion.
All newly appointed commanders have vowed retaliation, with state banners across Iran declaring: “You started the war, we will finish it.”
Escalating Conflict
The recent strikes mark the most intense direct confrontation between Iran and Israel in history.
- Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” targeted Iranian military leadership, nuclear facilities, and missile production sites, killing dozens, including top commanders and scientists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of further strikes.
- Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks on Israeli military and civilian sites, killing at least 14 and wounding dozens.
- Casualties in Iran reportedly exceed 220 civilians, including 25 children, with strikes hitting key districts in Tehran.
