The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a precision airstrike on a command center in central Tehran, killing Major General Ali Shadmani—appointed just four days earlier as Iran’s wartime Chief of Staff and head of the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters. His predecessor was eliminated on Friday morning. The elimination follows a pummelling of Iran as Israeli exploits its unchallenged air supremacy in Iranian skies.

Shadmani, a senior commander within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a close confidant of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, assumed command following the death of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, who was eliminated in a separate Israeli strike on June 13.

According to Israeli officials, the airstrike was executed with “accurate intelligence data” and carried out in a surprise nighttime operation by Israeli Air Force jets. The mission is part of a coordinated campaign—codenamed Operation Rising Lion—aimed at decapitating Iran’s nuclear and military leadership infrastructure. Since its launch on June 13, the operation has reportedly involved over 200 Israeli air sorties striking nuclear development sites, missile silos, and key IRGC command bunkers.

Iran’s immediate response came in the form of missile and drone barrages targeting Israeli civilian and military sites, including in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and the southern coastal plain. Iranian state media has reported at least 224 deaths across the country since the onset of the campaign, while unofficial estimates from Western intelligence agencies suggest the toll may exceed 400. In Israel, dozens of civilians have been killed or injured in retaliatory strikes, including in cities such as Bat Yam, Ramat Gan, and Rehovot.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, stating:

“We will not allow those who seek our destruction to pursue nuclear weapons. This is a war of survival, not choice.”

He emphasized that eliminating Shadmani was a preemptive measure to prevent a future, much greater catastrophe.

Defense Minister Israel Katz added that the IDF remains “fully prepared for all contingencies,” and that the recent leadership eliminations in Tehran had “shaken the pillars of Iran’s war effort.”

International reactions were mixed but leaned in Israel’s favor. The G7 reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense and condemned Iran’s regional destabilization efforts. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, currently in his second term, issued an urgent statement urging American citizens and other nationals to evacuate Tehran and other Iranian cities, indicating the gravity of the situation.

Israeli intelligence sources believe Shadmani’s elevation within the regime was part of a last-ditch effort by the Iranian leadership to consolidate wartime control following the loss of multiple high-level figures. His sudden death leaves a vacuum, likely intensifying command disarray within both the Iranian military and the IRGC.

Meanwhile, anti-regime protests flared in Tabriz and Shiraz, fueled by economic collapse and fear of a prolonged war. Israeli officials believe the weakening of central command could accelerate internal dissent and further degrade Iran’s offensive capabilities.

A senior IDF source described the broader campaign as “designed to prevent the next October 7 before it’s too late,” referencing the deadly Hamas-led attacks that triggered the current regional conflict.

With “Operation Rising Lion” continuing and no signs of de-escalation, military analysts caution that the current crisis could tip into full-scale war. Nevertheless, Israeli strategic planners see the elimination of top enemy commanders as a path to breaking Iran’s long-term capacity to threaten the region and export terror through its proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Gaza.

As one senior Israeli official put it:

“This is no longer shadow warfare. The lion has roared—and will not be silenced.”