Israeli strikes kill Iran's top commander

Iranian state media reported that the Israeli strikes killed top Iranian military officials, including the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gen. Hossein Salami.

Several senior Iranian military commanders and veteran nuclear scientists were assassinated in large-scale Israeli airstrikes that targeted Tehran and other cities across Iran in the early hours of Friday, according to Iranian state media.

Iranian state media confirmed that Major General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in an Israeli airstrike. The strike targeted multiple Iranian military and nuclear facilities, including the IRGC's General Command Headquarters in Tehran. Salami, who had led the IRGC since 2019, was a prominent figure in Iran's military establishment, known for his aggressive stance against Israel and the United States. 

The Israeli operation, dubbed "Rising Lion," involved over 200 fighter jets and targeted key nuclear sites such as the Natanz enrichment facility, as well as sites linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards and ballistic missile development. In addition to Salami, several high-ranking Iranian officials and nuclear scientists were reportedly killed, including Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri and nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. 

In response to the Israeli strikes, Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israel, prompting heightened military alerts and airspace closures across the region. The international community has expressed concern over the potential for further escalation, with countries like Japan, the UK, and Saudi Arabia urging restraint. 

The death of Major General Salami marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, potentially leading to increased regional volatility and retaliatory actions. The situation remains fluid, with heightened concerns of imminent retaliation by Iran.