On Friday, Israel carried out “Operation Rising Lion,” striking dozens of targets across Iran. These included nuclear facilities, military sites, and private homes. The attacks killed several senior Iranian military commanders. Israel also targeted important people linked to Iran’s nuclear program, including six nuclear scientists, according to the IRGC-linked news agency Tasnim. Sadly, dozens of civilians, including children, were also reported killed.
Here’s what we know about some of the key individuals who died:
1. Mohammad Bagheri
Bagheri was Iran’s highest-ranking military officer as the chief of staff of the armed forces, which includes both the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the regular army. He joined the IRGC in 1980 at age 20. Along with his brother, he helped set up the IRGC’s intelligence unit during the Iran-Iraq war. Bagheri was seen as less extreme compared to other commanders. Recently, he gave a speech at the ancient site of Persepolis calling for peace and warning against war. After his death, Abdolrahim Mousavi, an army general (not from the IRGC), was appointed as the new chief of staff.
2. Hossein Salami
Salami was the commander-in-chief of the IRGC. He joined the IRGC in 1980 during the Iran-Iraq war and became deputy commander in 2009. In 2019, he was promoted to commander. Salami was known for his strong speeches and took a tough stance against Israel. Last month, he warned that Tehran would “open the gates of hell” if attacked by Israel or the US. Mohammad Pakpour has been named the new IRGC commander.
3. Gholamali Rashid
Rashid was head of the IRGC’s Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, which coordinates Iran’s military operations. He fought in the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and was once deputy chief of staff of the armed forces. Following his death, Ali Shadmani was appointed leader of the emergency command.
4. Amir Ali Hajizadeh
Hajizadeh led the IRGC’s Aerospace Force and was in charge of Iran’s missile program. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Hajizadeh and most of the IRGC’s air force commanders were gathered in an underground command center preparing for an attack on Israel when the building was struck, killing them. He led Iran’s missile attacks on Israel last October and April. Hajizadeh was unpopular among many Iranians after taking responsibility for shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane in 2020, killing all 176 people onboard.
5. Fereydoon Abbasi
Abbasi was a nuclear scientist and head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation from 2011 to 2013. He later served as a member of parliament from 2020 to 2024. Abbasi was known for his hardline support of Iran’s nuclear program. In May, he publicly spoke about the possibility of building a nuclear weapon and said he would carry out orders to do so if given.
