Israel confirmed the targeted elimination of Hossein Salami, a top architect of Iran’s military operations, during a high-risk preemptive strike against nuclear and military sites across Iran. The strike formed part of Operation Rising Lion, which included coordinated bombings of over 100 strategic locations, including Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility and command centers in Tehran and Esfahan.
Salami, appointed head of the IRGC in 2019, played a central role in coordinating Iran’s proxy warfare strategy across the Middle East. Under his leadership, the IRGC expanded support for Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria. Salami openly called for the destruction of Israel and the expulsion of U.S. forces from the region.
The IRGC commander’s death is widely seen as a calculated Israeli effort to weaken Iran’s asymmetric warfare capabilities. Israeli officials stated the strike was necessary to halt Iran’s rapid nuclear advancements and curtail direct threats to Israeli sovereignty. Salami’s killing, alongside other IRGC figures and nuclear scientists, represents a rare and high-impact decapitation of Tehran’s leadership.
In Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei condemned the attack, calling it “a wicked crime.” The regime vowed retaliation, launching over 100 drones toward Israel in response. Israel remains on high alert, reinforcing border deployments and placing air defenses on full readiness.
Salami’s record includes decades of military aggression, involvement in the killing of American troops through IRGC-backed militias, and responsibility for the 2020 crackdown on Iranian protesters. His elimination was praised by many in Israel and the West as a crucial step in confronting Iran’s state-sponsored terrorism.
