Tehran Targeted: Israel Eliminates Iran’s War-Time Chief of Staff

In a significant escalation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the killing of Ali Shadmani, Iran’s War-Time Chief of Staff, in an airstrike in Tehran. Shadmani, a senior military figure and close advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei, was reportedly targeted based on precise intelligence. The IDF confirmed this was the second such operation in recent days and also detailed extensive strikes targeting Iranian military assets in western Iran, including missile storage, launch infrastructure, and UAV facilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israeli Air Force maintains control of the airspace over Tehran, emphasizing that their operations are focused on regime targets, not civilians. Iranian state media subsequently acknowledged the deaths of key IRGC officials, including the head of intelligence, Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi, and his deputy, Hassan Mohaqiq, in what appears to be another Israeli strike. Earlier, the IDF had reported the elimination of other senior Iranian military officials across the country.