Daijiworld Media Network

Tehran, Jun 17: In a dramatic escalation of tensions, Iran’s top military commander, General Ali Shadmani, a close aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike in Tehran, the Israeli military announced on Tuesday.

Describing the mission as a "sudden opportunity", the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck a staffed command centre in the heart of the Iranian capital, eliminating Shadmani, who was serving as the wartime Chief of Staff. He was considered the highest-ranking military official in the Islamic Republic and known to wield significant influence within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as the broader Iranian armed forces.

The Israeli military, in a statement, labelled Shadmani as “the closest figure to Supreme Leader Khamenei” and claimed his strategic oversight had been key in coordinating Iran’s regional military activities.

Shadmani’s death marks a significant blow to Iran’s military command structure and is likely to further inflame the already fragile situation in the Middle East. No immediate official response has been issued by the Iranian government or the office of Ayatollah Khamenei at the time of reporting.