Israel announced the elimination of the second commander of Iran's Central Staff
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the elimination of the new commander of the Central Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Ali Shadmani, who was appointed to the position after the assassination of his predecessor, Gholamali Rashid, at the beginning of Operation Eastern Lion.
Shadmani was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the evening of June 16.
"After receiving accurate intelligence, the Air Force struck a well-equipped command center in the heart of Tehran and eliminated Ali Shadmani, the top military commander and the closest figure to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ," the IDF said.
Ali Shadmani headed the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, also known as Iran's Military Emergency Command.
Khamenei appointed him on June 13 and promoted him to the rank of Major General. His predecessor, Lieutenant General Gholamali Rashid, was killed earlier that day in Israel's first strikes on Iran.
- On June 13, the Israel Defense Forces announced that it had carried out a "preemptive strike" on Iran's nuclear program facilities to prevent Tehran from obtaining weapons of mass destruction.
- The attack killed several top Iranian military officials, including IRGC Commander-in-Chief Salami.
- Netanyahu called on the citizens of Iran to overthrow the Islamic regime, which "has oppressed its own people for decades."