In a stunning development that underscores the intensifying shadow war between Israel and Iran, reports have emerged indicating that Israel has successfully eliminated 30 high-ranking Iranian military officials over a 12-day period.
The revelation was made public through unofficial sources and a leaked internal statement attributed to Lieutenant General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the report, the alleged Israeli operations targeted key leadership figures across multiple branches of Iran’s military infrastructure, including the IRGC, the Aerospace Force, the Quds Force, the Basij paramilitary forces, and Iran’s top defense research institutions.
The series of strikes reportedly resulted in the deaths of several of Iran’s most senior generals and intelligence officers. Notably, there are no confirmed reports of any Israeli military personnel being killed during this period.
If verified, this would represent one of the most significant and lopsided escalations in recent history between the two regional adversaries.
Here is the few list of the 30 senior officials reportedly killed are:
Lt. Gen. Hossein Salami, IRGC Commander-in-Chief
Lt. Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Chief of the General Staff
Maj. Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, head of the IRGC’s Intelligence Organization
Maj. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force
Maj. Gen. Amir Mozaffarnia, head of Iran’s secretive Defense R&D Organization (SPND)
Brig. Gen. Mohammad Baqer Taherpour, commander of the IRGC’s UAV unit
Also named are several deputy commanders, intelligence officers, and regional chiefs responsible for operations in Alborz Province, Tehran, and within the Quds Force’s Palestine Desk.
The wide net suggests an extensive and highly coordinated campaign targeting the backbone of Iran’s strategic command and control capabilities.
Military analysts say that such a concentrated operation would require deep intelligence penetration and precision capabilities hallmarks of Israeli operations in the region, often conducted through drones, cyber warfare, and local informants.
The Israeli government has not officially commented on the reports, adhering to its longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity in such matters.
Iranian state media has remained largely silent on the specifics, while unofficial channels within the IRGC have accused Israel of a “declaration of war through decapitation strategy.”
Notably, Lt. Gen. Salami, quoted in the leaked memo, lamented that “while Iran has not managed to inflict a single active-duty casualty on the Israeli military, Israel has surgically removed 30 of our highest-ranking officers.”
The implications of this alleged operation are immense. The targeted killings could potentially decimate Iran’s military planning capabilities and delay its regional and nuclear ambitions.
However, such an operation also risks significant retaliation, as Iran may seek to reassert its deterrence posture through cyberattacks, proxy militia strikes, or direct military escalation.
Some regional observers warn that Iran’s allies in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen could be mobilized to respond, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
While Iran has long relied on asymmetric warfare through proxy groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis, Israel’s direct targeting of senior leadership marks a shift in doctrine focusing not just on infrastructure, but on the very individuals who orchestrate Iran’s military and intelligence strategy.
Experts say the killings, if confirmed, send a chilling message to Iranian command: their seniority and location may no longer protect them.
As tensions continue to mount, the international community is watching closely. The United Nations has yet to issue a statement, and Western powers, including the U.S. and the EU, are reportedly assessing intelligence to verify the authenticity of the reports.
