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Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has announced sweeping changes to the country’s military leadership following a series of devastating Israeli airstrikes that claimed the lives of several top-ranking commanders.

The appointments were announced on Saturday via a post on Khamenei’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

The reshuffle comes in the wake of heightened military tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv, with Iran accusing Israel of assassinating key figures in its defence establishment.

“In view of Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid’s martyrdom at the hands of the vile Zionist regime, and in light of Major General Ali Shadmani’s meritorious services & valuable experience, I confer the rank of Major Gen. & appoint him Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Central HQ,” Khamenei declared.

The Supreme Leader also confirmed a change at the helm of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following the reported killing of its chief commander.

“In view of the martyrdom of Lieutenant General Hossein Salami at the hands of the vile Zionist regime, and in light of Major General Mohammad Pakpour’s meritorious services and valuable experience, I appoint him as Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the statement read.

In a third major appointment, Khamenei addressed the vacancy at the top of the country’s military hierarchy:

“In view of the martyrdom of Lieutenant General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri at the hands of the evil Zionist regime, & in light of Major General Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi’s meritorious services & valuable experience, I appoint him as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.”

The Iranian government has described the slain generals as martyrs and accused Israel of crossing a red line by targeting its military leadership on Iranian soil. While Tel Aviv has not publicly claimed responsibility for the strikes, Israeli officials have previously warned that they would act preemptively against any threats from the Islamic Republic.

Earlier, the Israeli military stated it had launched a wave of strikes against Iranian military and nuclear sites in a major escalation. Strikes also hit central Tehran.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the military operation had “struck at the head of Iran’s nuclear weaponisation programme” and that targets included Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz, Iranian nuclear scientists, and Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

He was quoted as saying this during a televised address to the nation:

“Moments ago, Israel launched operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival,” Netanyahu said in a televised address yesterday.

“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”

General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the country’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was declared to be among those killed in the attacks, the IRGC confirmed. Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces and the country’s highest-ranking military officer, was also killed.

Iran’s former national security chief, Ali Shamkhani, was also reportedly killed.

Iran has continued to launch a barrage of missiles to Israel in retaliation for the attacks on its home soil.

In view of Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid’s martyrdom at the hands of the vile Zionist regime, and in light of Major General Ali Shadmani’s meritorious services & valuable experience, I confer the rank of Major Gen. & appoint him Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Central HQ. pic.twitter.com/4dTDCKx66P

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 13, 2025

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