Iran’s Military Chief of Staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri Killed in Israeli Airstrike

Iranian state television has confirmed that Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and Iran’s highest-ranking military officer, was killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike on June 13, 2025. The strike was part of "Operation Rising Lion," an expansive Israeli campaign targeting nuclear facilities and senior military figures across Iran.

The assault involved more than 200 Israeli fighter jets striking over 100 military and nuclear sites, including key locations in Tehran and near the Natanz enrichment facility. Alongside Bagheri, Iran also lost IRGC Commander Hossein Salami and several senior nuclear scientists in the strikes, which mark one of the most significant accelerations of regional hostilities in recent history.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes as a necessary preemptive move to counter Iran's rapid nuclear advancement, stating they were executed with precision to neutralize an "existential threat." Israel’s military officials described the strikes as accurate, intelligence-driven operations aimed at decapitating Iran’s military leadership .

In response, Iran has condemned the attacks as acts of terrorism, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowing "harsh punishment." Iran has already launched dozens of drones toward Israel and has closed airspace in multiple countries, fueling concerns of wider conflict. Global leaders and UN officials are now urgently calling for restraint amid fears of an escalating Middle East war.

Share to: