U.S.-Israeli airstrikes have targeted Iran’s top political and military leadership, significantly impacting the Islamic Republic’s core command.
Supreme leader
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, was killed at age 86 on February 28 in a U.S.-Israeli strike on his compound
- Khamenei’s rule consolidated power through Iran’s security apparatus while expanding regional influence. His tenure was marked by ongoing tensions with the U.S. and Israel over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Senior officials
- Ali Larijani (67), secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and close adviser to Khamenei, was killed on March 17 in a strike at Pardis, along with his son and a deputy. A former Revolutionary Guards commander and nuclear negotiator, he played a central role in shaping Iran’s security and foreign policy
- Esmail Khatib, Iran’s intelligence minister, died on March 18. A hardliner cleric and politician, Khatib worked closely with Khamenei before heading Iran’s civilian intelligence apparatus in 2021
- Ali Shamkhani, a key adviser on security and nuclear policy, was killed on February 28 in Tehran. Shamkhani had previously survived an attack during the June war
Top military commanders
- Mohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the IRGC, was killed in the February 28 strikes in Tehran. He had risen to lead the Revolutionary Guards after the death of his predecessor, Hossein Salami
- Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister and a career air force officer, was killed on February 28. He played a crucial role in military planning and defense policy
- Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, died during the February 28 strikes, while attending a senior leadership meeting. He coordinated Iran’s military branches and oversaw conventional forces
- Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary force, was killed on March 17. Soleimani led the force responsible for internal security and enforcing state authority
- Behnam Rezaei, the Revolutionary Guards’ navy intelligence chief, was killed on March 26 in Bandar Abbas. The Israeli military said he was in charge of intelligence operations across regional countries.
