Israel on Tuesday eliminated Iran’s most senior military commander, whose predecessor was killed just days ago during the opening strike of Israel’s war against Iran, according to the Israeli military.
Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, who commanded both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army, was killed in a strike on a command center in the heart of Tehran, according to an Israel Defense Forces Statement.
He was appointed emergency commander of the Iranian Armed Forces after his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, was eliminated in the opening strike of “Operation Rising Lion” on June 13.
Before his predecessor’s elimination, Shamdani had served as deputy commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya emergency command center, and as head of the Iranian Armed Forces’ Operations Directorate.
In January, Shamdani confirmed Iran’s purchase of advanced Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia as it sought to modernize its aging air force, according to the outlet Defense Security Asia.