We come with breaking developments from the escalating war between Israel and Iran. Israeli forces have struck a devastating blow to Iran’s military command structure—killing Major General Ali Shademani, the Islamic Republic’s wartime Chief of Staff and one of the closest military confidants to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, Shademani served as the commander of Iran’s elite Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, which oversees all the country’s wartime combat operations and firepower strategy. He was described by the IDF as Iran’s “most senior military commander” and “the closest figure to Supreme Leader Khamenei.”
The assassination occurred just days after Israel eliminated Shademani’s predecessor, General Gholam Ali Rashid, in a similar precision strike on Friday—highlighting what the IDF is calling a continuous, high-level decapitation campaign targeting the core of Iran’s military leadership.
Shademani’s appointment to the powerful Khatam al-Anbiya post had come only days before his death. Previously, he had served as Iran’s deputy chief of national defense operations and oversaw key military strategies, including those directly aimed at the State of Israel.
Israel claims the rapid targeting of both Rashid and Shademani demonstrates the IDF’s continued superiority in battlefield intelligence, despite Iran’s attempts to shift tactics. Iranian commanders reportedly began discarding their mobile phones to evade surveillance—but Israeli intelligence, with the help of the Mossad, has still been able to track their movements and eliminate high-value targets.
The IDF emphasized that Iran’s efforts to outmaneuver Israel’s surveillance have so far failed, and that Israeli intelligence continues to penetrate even the most secure Iranian defense circles.
Since launching “Operation Rising Lion” last Friday, Israel has already eliminated several top figures within Iran’s military elite:
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IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami,
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Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri,
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IRGC Air Force Chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh,
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IRGC UAV Force Commander Taher-pour,
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IRGC Aerial Command Chief Davoud Shaykhian,
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And most recently, IRGC Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani, successor to the late Qasem Soleimani.
These targeted strikes—many reportedly carried out as leaders gathered in secure bunkers and underground facilities—reflect what Israeli officials are calling a sweeping effort to dismantle Iran’s military chain of command and neutralize threats before they can materialize.
As the operation continues, Israeli intelligence remains in high gear. And with Iran’s top brass now visibly in Israel’s crosshairs, the region teeters on the edge of further escalation.
Stay with SNEWS TV for continuing updates on this rapidly developing story.
Reporting by Carl Montel.
