Israel assassinates IRGC members in Iran as missile strikes hit nuclear sites

Express Tribune

6 days ago

Members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) navy participate in an exercise in Abu Musa Island, in this picture obtained on August 2, 2023. IRGC/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
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At least 10 members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were assassinated in Israeli air strikes on the central province of Yazd on Sunday, Iranian media stated.
Iran has not yet responded publicly to the reported deaths in Yazd.
The IRGC, a powerful branch of Iran's military reporting directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, plays a central role in the country's foreign operations and oversees its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes. It comprises around 190,000 active personnel and was designated a terrorist organisation by the United States in 2019.
An unspecified number of other IRGC personnel were also wounded in the strikes, which mark one of the deadliest Israeli attacks on Iranian territory since tensions escalated earlier this month, reported semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
Israel has not officially confirmed the strike in Yazd but claims it has assassinated around two dozen Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists since June 13.
Israeli air strikes have killed several top Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, including the commander of the IRGC Hossein Salami, in one of the most direct and deadly escalations between the two countries to date.
IRGC has begun using the Kheibar Shekan missile—also known as the Khorramshahr-4—which was unveiled in 2022 and is believed to carry the heaviest payload among Iran's ballistic missiles. IRGC said its latest missile strikes targeted Ben Gurion International Airport and several research sites in Israel.
Read: Timeline of Iran's nuclear programme
Meanwhile, Iranian state media has confirmed the deaths of at least four senior military officials in Israeli strikes, including Salami, Armed Forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC aerospace commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and General Gholamali Rashid.
The attacks also killed six prominent nuclear scientists and wounded hundreds, as Israel targeted key infrastructure sites across Iran, including the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz.
After the assasinations, Khamenei appointed Ahmad Vahidi as the new IRGC chief and Majid Mousavi as head of its aerospace division.
The initial wave of Israeli strikes, involving approximately 200 fighter jets, hit multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Arak, Tabriz, and Kermanshah. In Kermanshah, near the Iraqi border, an underground ballistic missile storage facility was reportedly destroyed.
Iranian authorities initially reported at least 80 people killed and over 320 wounded in the first round of attacks. However, updated figures from Human Rights Activists (HRA), a Washington-based monitoring group, indicate that Israeli strikes have killed at least 950 people and injured more than 3,450 across Iran to date.
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HRA reported that among the dead are 380 civilians and 253 members of Iran's security forces. The group, known for documenting the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, cross-checks local reports with an independent network inside the country.
Iran's government has not issued consistent nationwide casualty updates during the conflict. Its most recent count, released by the Health Ministry, reported 400 deaths and over 3,000 injuries—figures significantly lower than HRA's estimates.
Among the injured is senior Iranian diplomat Ali Shamkhani, who has been leading negotiations with the United States. He is reported to be in critical condition following the strikes.