Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri killed in Israeli strike, state media reports

Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri (AFP)

Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri, was killed in Israeli strikes that hit multiple cities, including the capital, according to state television and AFP.

"Major General Mohammad Bagheri chief of staff of the armed forces was martyred," the broadcaster said.

Israel has launched Operation Rising Lion, targeting what it describes as a threat to its “very survival” from Iran.

The strikes, which began late Thursday night, targeted Tehran and key locations associated with Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

The attacks also extended to the western city of Kermanshah, where residents reported hearing explosions and witnessing black smoke rising. The specific target in that area has not yet been confirmed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the airstrikes were aimed at key parts of Iran’s nuclear and military program.

Who is Mohammad Bagheri? 

Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s highest-ranking military official. Born in Tehran under the name Mohammad-Hossein Afshordi, his exact year of birth is disputed some sources, including the U.S. Treasury Department, list it as 1960, while others cite 1958.

A senior figure in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Bagheri had held the position of Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces since 2016, making him the top commander overseeing all branches of the country’s military.

(This is a developing story)