Iran Confirms Gen. Salami Dead in Israeli Military Strike \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Iranian state TV confirmed the death of Revolutionary Guard commander Gen. Hossein Salami in an Israeli airstrike targeting Tehran. The attack struck nuclear and military sites, heightening fears of regional war. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed more strikes as tensions with Iran surge.
Quick Looks
- Iran confirms Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami was killed in an Israeli strike.
- Israeli PM Netanyahu said attacks targeted nuclear, military, and missile program leaders.
- Two nuclear scientists and another top Guard official are also reportedly dead.
- The Guard is a powerful institution with military and economic influence in Iran.
- The assault is seen as the most severe strike on Iran since the 1980s war with Iraq.
- Netanyahu warned Israel will strike “for as many days as it takes.”
- U.S. said it was not involved and warned Iran against targeting American assets.
- Brent crude oil prices jumped nearly 5% on news of the strike.
- Israel and Iran both closed their airspace amid fears of retaliation.
- Trump was meeting lawmakers when the strike began, continuing to press for diplomacy.
Deep Look
In a historic and potentially game-changing military escalation, Iranian state television confirmed Friday that Gen. Hossein Salami, the influential commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran. The announcement marks one of the most significant losses for Iran’s military leadership in decades and immediately intensifies the threat of open conflict between Israel and Iran.
The televised statement was brief: “The news of assassination and martyrdom of Gen. Hossein Salami was confirmed,” said the anchor, who offered no additional details. Salami’s death represents a major blow to the Iranian theocracy. The IRGC is not only a military force but also a powerful political and economic institution within Iran, controlling strategic industries and overseeing the nation’s ballistic missile program.
The Israeli strike, which occurred early Friday, reportedly targeted multiple locations across Tehran and beyond. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed that the attack aimed to eliminate leaders of Iran’s nuclear development program and disable parts of the country’s missile infrastructure. “We will continue this operation for as many days as it takes to remove the threat,” Netanyahu said in a national address posted on YouTube.
This is arguably the most expansive and devastating military action inside Iran since its 1980s war with Iraq. Multiple nuclear and military facilities were hit, and Iranian state media also reported the deaths of another senior IRGC official and two nuclear scientists. The move comes just one day after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) formally censured Iran for refusing to cooperate with nuclear inspectors, a move that prompted Tehran to announce plans for a third uranium enrichment site and the deployment of more advanced centrifuges.
Israel has long warned that it would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons, and while Iran maintains that its program is for peaceful purposes, its escalating enrichment activities and resistance to international oversight have reignited global fears. U.S. intelligence assessments continue to assert that Iran does not currently possess a nuclear weapons program, but also acknowledge that the country could move quickly if it chose to.
U.S. officials have confirmed that they were notified by Israel ahead of the strike but were not involved in planning or executing the operation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the U.S. remains focused on protecting American personnel and installations across the region. “This was a unilateral Israeli action,” Rubio said, warning Iran not to retaliate against U.S. targets.
Trump, who is currently serving his second term as president, had previously urged Netanyahu to delay military action while the U.S. pursued diplomatic negotiations with Tehran. During the airstrike, Trump was on the White House lawn at a public event with members of Congress. Reporters on the scene noted that the president remained engaged in the event, shaking hands and posing for pictures even as news of the explosions in Tehran emerged.
The economic repercussions were immediate. Benchmark Brent crude oil spiked nearly 5%, as markets reacted to the sudden escalation and the risk of a broader regional war that could disrupt global energy supplies. With both Israel and Iran having closed their airspace, the possibility of further airstrikes or retaliatory missile launches looms large.
In response to the Israeli attack, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz signed an emergency declaration for Israel’s home front, anticipating retaliatory missile or drone attacks from Iran or its regional proxies. “We expect immediate attacks against Israel’s civilian population,” Katz said. Citizens were urged to follow emergency instructions and remain in secure locations.
The killing of Gen. Salami marks a turning point in the long-running shadow conflict between Israel and Iran. While both countries have previously clashed indirectly—via cyber warfare, proxy militias, and targeted operations in third countries—this direct and public assassination of a top Iranian commander inside Tehran signals a dramatic new phase in hostilities.
International observers warn that Iran’s response could come swiftly and potentially target Israeli cities or U.S. assets across the Middle East. The IRGC has broad operational capabilities and longstanding ties to regional militia groups that can act on its behalf.
As the world watches closely, the situation remains volatile. What began as simmering tensions over uranium enrichment and international inspections has erupted into a crisis with nuclear implications and the potential to draw in multiple global powers.
The next steps from Tehran will determine whether this incident marks a short-term flare-up or the beginning of a wider and more dangerous regional war.
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