Israel struck a massive blow when the IDF eliminated Iran’s freshly minted wartime chief of staff, triggering fears that regional war may spiral out of control.
At a Glance
- The IDF confirmed that Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, Iran’s wartime chief of staff, was killed in a targeted airstrike in central Tehran.
- He had been appointed only four days earlier, following the death of his predecessor Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid on June 13.
- The airstrike targeted a “staffed command centre” inside Tehran, described by the IDF as a “sudden opportunity.”
- Shadmani was one of the closest military advisers to Ayatollah Khamenei and oversaw both the IRGC and the regular army.
- The strike comes amid five days of escalating exchanges between Israel and Iran marked by missile attacks and retaliatory strikes.
A High-Rank Target Taken
Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani was confirmed by the IDF to be “Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor” before being killed in a precision airstrike on a command facility in central Tehran. His appointment as wartime chief of staff came only days earlier, following the death of Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, who succumbed to injuries sustained in another Israeli strike.
Operation Rising Lion: Swift and Surgical
The strike is part of a broader Israeli campaign known as “Operation Rising Lion,” which reportedly integrates Mossad intelligence, AI algorithms, and drone surveillance to identify and eliminate high-value targets inside Iran. According to IDF sources, the opportunity to strike came suddenly, targeting a heavily staffed military coordination center in Tehran. The operation follows a week of direct confrontations between the two nations.
Watch a report: IDF Confirms Elimination Of Iran’s Top Wartime Chief Of Staff Ali Shadmani.
Wider Conflict and Fallout
The airstrike marks day five of intensifying military exchanges that began on June 13, when Israel ramped up offensive operations against Iranian assets. Since then, Iran has retaliated with ballistic missiles and drones targeting cities in northern and southern Israel. So far, casualties remain limited, but regional air traffic has been severely disrupted.
Shadmani’s death leaves a critical vacuum in Iran’s dual military structure, which merges the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Artesh under unified strategic oversight. His proximity to Iran’s Supreme Leader made him a key node in Tehran’s military and ideological apparatus. The Iranian government has vowed “prolonged retaliation,” raising fears of further strikes and counterstrikes across the region.
As diplomatic options narrow and targeted assassinations accelerate, the Middle East inches closer to full-scale conflict with unpredictable global repercussions.
