Israel’s June 13 strikes on Iran led to the deaths of several high-ranking military officials and prominent nuclear scientists, marking a major escalation in the ongoing hostilities between the two countries.
Israel’s large-scale attacks on Iran in the early hours of Friday targeted military and nuclear infrastructure, resulting in the deaths of at least 104 people and injuries to nearly 380 others, according to Iranian sources. Among the dead were some of Iran’s most senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.
In response, Iran launched ballistic missile attacks across Israeli territory, killing three people and injuring over 170 others.
Here are the key Iranian figures confirmed killed in the Israeli airstrikes:
Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri
Bagheri, Iran’s military chief of staff and the highest-ranking military figure in the country, was killed in the strikes. He had served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) since the Iran-Iraq War and was appointed to his post by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in 2016.
Hossein Salami
Salami, the commander-in-chief of the IRGC, was another top official killed. He had served in various senior military roles since joining the IRGC during the Iran-Iraq War and led the organization since 2019.
Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid
Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Rashid played a major role in Iran’s strategic military planning and operational command. He previously served as deputy chief of staff for 17 years.
Amir Ali Hajizadeh
Hajizadeh led the IRGC Aerospace Forces and was credited with spearheading Iran’s missile development. He played a pivotal role in the country's missile deterrence strategy.
Nuclear scientists assassinated:
Fereydoon Abbasi
A physicist and former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Abbasi had survived an assassination attempt in 2010. He also served in the Iranian parliament.
Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi
Tehranchi, a physicist, served as a scientific advisor to several Iranian institutions and helped establish the Laser and Plasma Research Institute (LAPRI).
Other nuclear scientists killed include:
Abdulhamid Minouchehr, dean of the nuclear engineering faculty at Shahid Beheshti University
Ahmadreza Zolfaghari, nuclear engineering professor at Shahid Beheshti University
Seyyed Amirhossein Faqhi, researcher at Shahid Beheshti University
Motablizadeh, an expert in nuclear technology
Iran has condemned the attacks as a declaration of war and requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Israel, meanwhile, has warned of continued strikes if Iran retaliates.
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