Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari as interim Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, following the assassination of General Mohammad Bagheri in a targeted Israeli airstrike on Tehran.
In a separate appointment, Major General Ahmad Vahidi was named as the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), replacing the slain IRGC Chief Major General Hossein Salami.
The leadership reshuffle comes in the wake of one of the most devastating blows to Iran’s military establishment in recent memory. According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, Major General Bagheri — the country’s highest-ranking military officer and strategic planner — was killed early Friday in a wave of Israeli air raids on the capital.
Bagheri had served as the Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, overseeing both the conventional military and coordinating its strategic alignment with the IRGC. His death, along with that of several other top officials, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing confrontation between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
The strikes also claimed the lives of IRGC Commander-in-Chief Major General Hossein Salami and Major General Gholamali Rashid, the head of the Khatam al-Anbia Headquarters — Iran’s key operational command center. Additionally, two prominent nuclear scientists — Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Tehranchi, president of the Islamic Azad University, and Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi, a former chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran — were also martyred in the attack.
State and semi-official Iranian media reported that the Israeli airstrikes hit multiple sites, including military installations and residential areas, resulting in civilian casualties. Commercial flights were suspended at Imam Khomeini International Airport amid concerns of further escalation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry officials accused the United States of complicity, stating that the strikes could not have occurred without Washington’s approval. The ministry asserted Iran’s right to respond under the UN Charter, warning of “dangerous consequences” for both Israel and its backers.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in a Fox News interview that he was informed in advance of Israel’s intention to strike Iran, though he denied any American involvement. He said CENTCOM forces remain on high alert and the U.S. would respond if necessary.
Saudi Arabia also weighed in, condemning the Israeli strikes as “blatant aggression” and a “violation of international law,” urging the United Nations Security Council to intervene to prevent further destabilization in the region.
