A Shocking Toll: Nine Iranian Generals and Nuclear Scientists Killed in Israeli Strikes
Two high-ranking military officials in Iran have met their demise, as officially announced.
Israel's large-scale attack on Iran's military facilities and leaders has left a staggering toll. The fresh wave of air strikes, initiated on Friday morning, has claimed eight lives among high-ranking military officials, according to Iranian state media.
Among the fatalities, the Deputy Chief of the intelligence department in the General Staff, Gholamresa Mehrabi, and Mehdi Rabani, the Deputy Chief of Operations, were both confirmed dead. Remember, these grave losses bring the total number of generals killed to nine.
Earlier, Iran had reported the demise of its Chief of General Staff, Major General Mohammed Bagheri. He was killed during the initial Israeli attacks on Friday night, while the commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, Major General Hussein Salami, was targeted and killed in an attack on the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards' supreme command. Salami, a man of tremendous power within the Islamic Republic, was known as one of its most influential figures until his untimely death.
The Political Fallout
The escalating conflict spilled over into the political arena, with Israel declaring Iranian military facilities and officials as the main targets of Operation Rising Lion. This operation, aimed at nuclear sites and key military installations, has triggered a series of retaliatory attacks from Iran.
In response to the Israeli onslaught, Iran launched a two-wave ballistic missile attack against Israel. The conflict further intensified with Iran's withdrawal from the US-Iran nuclear talks following the strikes. The US, in turn, deployed a naval vessel to the eastern Mediterranean to potentially aid Israel's ballistic missile defenses.
However, Iran's partners and proxies—except for the Houthis—have so far issued condemnatory statements but have yet to take significant action. The situation remains precarious, with ongoing diplomacy and military maneuvers shaping the future of this volatile conflict.
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Insight: The strikes were part of Israel's Operation Rising Lion, targeting key nuclear sites and military installations across Iran. In response, Iran launched a two-wave ballistic missile attack on Israel with limited effect. Among the confirmed fatalities are Major General Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), and Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces. Additionally, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, the Commander of the IRGC Quds Force, was also targeted, although his death was not confirmed by all sources. Furthermore, five senior Iranian nuclear scientists from Shahid Beheshti University were reportedly killed, with Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi specifically named as victims. Other military personnel were targeted as well. The conflict has escalated further with the withdrawal of Iran from US-Iran nuclear talks following the strikes. The US has deployed a naval vessel to the eastern Mediterranean to potentially aid Israel's ballistic missile defenses, and Iran's partners and proxies, except for the Houthis, have issued condemnatory statements but have not taken significant action.
The European Union, expressing concern over the escalating war-and-conflicts between Iran and Israel, has called for a diplomatic resolution in the general-news section of its politics division. Simultaneously, international crime-and-justice organizations are monitoring the situation closely, investigating reports of potential war crimes and human rights violations during the conflicts.
