Senior Iranian officials reported killed in U.S.–Israeli strikes

Senior Iranian officials reported killed in U.S.–Israeli strikes
Reuters

A number of senior Iranian figures have reportedly been killed in Saturday’s joint U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran, according to Iranian state media, Israeli military statements and international reporting. Some of the details remain unverified.

Iranian state media confirmed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed early on Saturday at his office in Tehran. Authorities declared a 40-day period of national mourning following his death.

State outlets also reported that Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law and grandchild were killed in the same strike, although those claims have not been independently verified.

Senior military figures

Iranian television reported that General Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, was killed in the airstrikes.

Tehran also confirmed the death of General Mohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Israeli military said the strikes targeted senior officials linked to Iran’s defence, intelligence, missile and nuclear programmes. It published a list of individuals it said were killed, including:

  • Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister
  • Ali Shamkhani, senior security adviser
  • Mohammad Shirazi, head of the Supreme Leader’s military office
  • Saleh Asadi, described as a senior intelligence official
  • Hossein Jabal Amelian and Reza Mozaffari-Nia, officials linked to Iran’s defence research organisation

Iran has not publicly confirmed all of the names released by Israel.

Reported overall toll

CBS News, citing an intelligence source and a military source, reported that around 40 Iranian officials were killed in the strikes. Iranian authorities have not issued a comprehensive casualty list confirming that figure.

While several high-profile deaths have been confirmed by Iranian state media, other names and casualty figures remain based on official statements or media reports and have not yet been independently verified.

The developments mark a significant escalation in tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States.

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