Israel Eliminates Iran’s Top Military Commander for Second Time in Five Days Amid Escalating Conflict

Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani has been assassinated, according to the IDF

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced the targeted killing of Major General Ali Shademani, Iran’s newly appointed war-time Chief of Staff and the most senior military figure closest to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This marks the second high-profile Iranian military assassination by Israel within a five-day span, signaling a significant escalation in the covert war between the two nations.

According to the IDF, Shademani had just replaced General Gholam Ali Rashid, who was killed in Israel’s initial wave of strikes on Friday night. Rashid’s death had prompted the swift promotion of Shademani, but Israeli intelligence and precision-strike capabilities appear to have outpaced Iran's attempts at maintaining command continuity.

A fire rages at the Sharan Oil depot in Iran following Israeli missile strikes

Israel described Shademani as “the most senior military commander and the closest figure to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,” noting that he commanded both the Iranian Armed Forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IDF claimed he had “direct influence on Iran’s offensive plans targeting the State of Israel.”

Also killed during the earlier Friday assault was IRGC Commander-in-Chief Major General Hossein Salami. His successor, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, is now reportedly under intense threat as Israeli intelligence continues to penetrate Iran's military hierarchy.

Israel and Iran have now been trading missiles for four days

Tehran responded to the successive assassinations by ordering senior officials to discard their mobile phones in an effort to curb further intelligence leaks. Despite these precautions, Israeli forces appear to retain real-time targeting capabilities.

The attacks come amid a sustained exchange of missile strikes between Israel and Iran, now entering its fourth consecutive night. While Iran claimed to have launched a massive wave of “hundreds” of drones and a “more powerful” new wave of weapons on Monday night, there have been no confirmed reports of significant damage or casualties within Israel.

The capital city of Tehran has witnessed mass civilian flight, with thousands attempting to flee amid fears of deeper strikes. Israel has not reported casualties on its side, while Tel Aviv’s defense systems remain on high alert.

Smoke billows from the strike site of a missile in Haifa, Israel

In a move that has intensified global concerns, former U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly left the G7 summit in Canada a day early, citing urgent developments in the Middle East. Trump warned Iran to evacuate "everyone" from Tehran immediately, referring to the country’s actions as "foolish."

White House officials said Trump’s early departure was related to “what’s going on in the Middle East,” although they maintained that the United States will not participate in Israel’s military operations against Iran.

In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued a fresh statement Tuesday morning, vowing to continue striking Israel “without interruption until dawn.” However, the ongoing barrage appears to have achieved limited impact thus far.

As tensions soar, the targeted killings of Iran’s most senior military officials signal Israel’s unyielding resolve to dismantle the Islamic Republic’s command structure and neutralize perceived existential threats before they materialize.