IAF kills Quds Force commander involved in Oct. 7 massacre
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Overnight Friday, IAF jets also targeted and killed Behnam Shahriyari, commander of the Quds Force's Unit 190, which is responsible for weapons transfers from Iran to its regional proxies. According to the IDF, Shahriyari was targeted while traveling in his vehicle in western Iran, more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Israel.
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Shahriyari oversaw the delivery of arms from the Iranian regime to terrorist groups across the Middle East, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis in Yemen. The IDF said he played a central role in arming these organizations with rockets and missiles—many of which have been launched at Israel during the war.
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He also played a central role in financing regional terrorist networks, reportedly directing the annual flow of hundreds of millions of dollars through a network of shell companies, money changers and couriers—primarily operating out of Turkey and Lebanon.
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🔴ELIMINATED: Behnam Shahriyari, commander of the Quds Force's Weapons Transfer Unit in the IRGC, was eliminated in a precise IDF strike in western Iran.
Shahriyari was responsible for all weapons transfers from the Iranian regime to its proxies across the Middle East in order… pic.twitter.com/O9nEjuauuW
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 21, 2025
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According to the IDF, Shahriyari's logistical and financial operations directly contributed to the deaths and injuries of numerous Israeli civilians and soldiers. His long-standing role was seen as vital to advancing Iran's strategic goal of destabilizing the region and threatening Israel through a web of proxy forces.
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'His elimination represents a severe blow to the ability of the terrorist organizations surrounding the State of Israel to regroup and strengthen after being heavily damaged by the IDF during the war,' the military said in a statement.
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Meanwhile, the IAF also targeted and killed Aminpour Joudaki, commander of the IRGC Air Force's second UAV brigade. The IDF said he was responsible for planning and executing hundreds of drone attacks against Israel from the Ahvaz region in southwestern Iran.
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Following the June 13 elimination of Taher Pour—the commander of the IRGC Air Force's UAV headquarters—Joudaki reportedly assumed a leading role in managing the unit's operations.
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Vancouver Sun
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'Political expediency': Lawyer for IDF soldiers critical of war-crimes probe
There is a growing backlash after the RCMP announced this month it is investigating whether Canadian citizens involved with clashes in or around Israel were in contravention of this country's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act. Amid outcry from Jewish groups, the force said it wasn't a criminal probe, but to 'collect, preserve and assess information' for potential future prosecutions. Foreign governments, such as Belgium and Brazil, have also opened investigations into their own citizens who served with the Israel Defense Forces. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Lt.-Col. (ret.) Maurice Hirsch, director of the Initiative for Palestinian Authority Accountability and Reform, at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, suggests these are politically motivated probes. He has been retained by IDF soldiers who have been questioned by foreign government representatives. Hirsch has previously served as senior legal analyst for Human Rights Voices in New York, lawyer for the Israel Defense Forces, director of the legal department for Palestinian Media Watch, senior military consultant for NGO Monitor, and adviser to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Dave Gordon interviewed Hirsch for the National Post. What do you think motivates foreign governments who seek these investigations? I can't tell you exactly as to what their motivation is, but I believe that it's somewhere in the realms of political expediency, and internal demographic politics. It requires these governments to almost change what they've been doing traditionally, even to the point of potentially abandoning allies. Their voter base has changed. And so now you have a situation where you need to almost pander, to cater, to a more fringe population. In May, U.K. government lawyers told the High Court that there was no evidence Israel was deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza, and that evidence exists of Israel making efforts to limit harm to civilians. If the government doesn't believe that war crimes are being committed, then obviously they won't then take that forward, and actively engage in an investigation of something that they don't believe is happening. But if the government is so prejudiced, and predisposed, that war crimes are being committed, then obviously you launch an investigation. What evidence would a foreign investigation need, to theoretically try a soldier in court? 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It's entirely impotent, because without knowing exactly what the military goal was in any given circumstance, there's no way you can actually assess the actions of the soldier. There's a legal mechanism that already exists in Israel, to prosecute soldiers who have broken laws? Without question. There is an entire investigative process. Everyone knows they exist. And yet this almost sanctimonious drive, seems to be to ignore that reality, and pushes for these ad hoc courts to somehow take charge. In media interviews, you contend that there is no formal support from the Israeli government for IDF (soldiers), to defend them against foreign investigations. Is that still the case? That still appears to be the case. There are certain ministries that are involved in a risk assessment, and are there to help, I think, the higher ranking officers. 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And sometimes the support needed is relatively simple, just to say that that X person was not in active duty in any type of a position, that could be considered relevant, when the alleged war crimes happen. This interview has been edited for brevity. (National Post contacted the IDF spokesperson's unit and the spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and received no response.) Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
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'Political expediency': Lawyer for IDF soldiers critical of war-crimes probe
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