Israeli assault results in death of Iran's General Staff chief
In the midst of June 2025, unexpected events unraveled, with Israeli forces launching a series of attacks on Iranian targets, singling out the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and suspected nuclear facilities.
The casualty list includes Major General Mohammad Bagheri, formerly the commander of the IRGC, who lost his life in these attacks, as reported by Iranian news agencies Mehr and ISNA, backed by The Times of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Several high-ranking IRGC officers, including Commander Hossein Salami, Iranian nuclear physicists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and Maj. Gen. Golamali Rashid, the commander of the Hatem base, were also claimed dead. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, condemned these losses but emphasized that the late commanders' successors and colleagues had quickly resumed their duties.
Target Scope
The Israeli strikes targeted various military and missile sites, aiming to degrade Iran’s military infrastructure and dismantle parts of their missile program. The Khatam ol Anbia Central Headquarters, which oversees joint and wartime military operations, was significantly impacted. Moreover, sites with ties to Iran’s chemical weapons program were also on the hit list.
Iranian Response
Following the Israeli attacks, Iran retaliated with a series of ballistic missile attacks on Israeli targets and drone strikes launched towards Israel. These attacks, like the one on the Israeli Military Intelligence School at Camp Moshe Dayan in Tel Aviv, caused damage to nearby facilities but no reported casualties. The Israeli Navy has intercepted a significant number of incoming drones, deterring more extensive damage.
In the ongoing conflict, Iranian missile attacks have involved fewer missiles, potentially demonstrating degradation of their missile forces from prior Israeli strikes.
Here's a summary of the key events in this volatile situation:
| Date/Period | Israeli Action | Iranian Response | Notable Details ||---------------------|----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|| June 12–June 18 | Strikes on military, missile, chemical, nuclear | Ballistic missile/drone attacks on Israel | IRGC command, missile, chemical, nuclear targets hit || June 17 | Strike on Khatam ol Anbia Central Headquarters | Ballistic missile attack on Tel Aviv targets | Commander killed, infrastructure damaged || Ongoing | Targeting IRGC, nuclear leadership | Drone interceptions by Israeli Navy | ~20 drones intercepted, no casualties reported |
As the confrontation between Israel and Iran unfolds, these events underscore the escalating nature of their ongoing conflict in the middle of June 2025.
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, in June 2025, is vividly portrayed in the war-and-conflicts arena, with Israeli forces launching attacks on Iranian targets, including the IRGC, nuclear facilities, and sites linked to their chemical weapons program (general-news). In response, Iran retaliated with ballistic missile attacks and drone strikes on Israeli targets (general-news), reflecting the political repercussions of this tense situation (politics).
