- Israeli airstrikes have killed over 20 senior IRGC commanders, impacting Iran's military leadership
- Key figures, including IRGC Commander Hossein Salami, confirmed dead, destabilising Khamenei's power
- Khamenei's reliance on his son, Mojtaba, increases amid the loss of experienced military leaders
Over the past week, a string of Israeli airstrikes wiped out more than 20 senior military commanders of Iran, weakening the top brass of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and leaving Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's once-unshakable power structure fractured.
The deaths of IRGC Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami, aerospace chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh, intelligence head Mohammad Kazemi, and armed forces chief Mohammad Bagheri, among others, have stunned Tehran's political and military elite. They were Khamenei's "inner circle", sources who attended meetings with the leadership told Reuters.
Israel's offensive, launched on June 13, also devastated Tehran's nuclear sites. In retaliation, Iran launched missiles toward Tel Aviv, Haifa, and other Israeli cities, leading to civilian casualties and widespread evacuations.
But it's Iran's 86-year-old supreme leader, who is witnessing the collapse of the military command he spent his life building.
The absence of experienced military leadership is increasingly being felt. Analysts warn that Khamenei's next steps could determine the fate of the Islamic Republic itself.
Among the top commanders confirmed dead:
Hossein Salami - IRGC Commander-in-Chief.
Mohammad Bagheri - Armed Forces Chief of Staff.
Amir Ali Hajizadeh - Aerospace Chief, oversaw missile development.
Mohammad Kazemi and Hassan Mohaqeq - Intelligence chiefs.Ali Shadmani - Khatam-al-Anbiya HQ commander, killed four days after their appointment.
Davoud Sheikhian - IRGC air defence chief.
Gholam Ali Rashid -Strategic commander of IRGC war HQ.
Ali Shamkhani, a senior political advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, was initially reported dead following an Israeli strike on
his residence in Tehran on June 13. Iranian officials later clarified that Shamkhani survived the attack and is currently undergoing treatment for serious injuries. His condition has remained "relatively stable" since June 15.
Ayatollah Khamenei, known for his cautious and stubborn leadership style, has ruled Iran for 36 years. Insiders say he values advice, often convening ad-hoc meetings with a trusted group of 15-20 aides composed of Guards commanders, clerics, and senior politicians.
Five people familiar with Khamenei's decision-making say he is becoming more isolated and is now relying heavily on his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. Mojtaba, a mid-level cleric and possible successor, has taken on a bigger role in managing Iran's political and security affairs, especially as the older generation of leaders is disappearing.
The ripple effects are not confined to Iran's borders. Khamenei's regional alliance, once proudly referred to as the "Axis of Resistance", is crumbling. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, an ally of Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli strike last September. In December, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was ousted, leaving Iran's reach in Damascus cut off.
Israeli airstrikes continue to pound key nuclear and military sites in and around Tehran, targeting facilities like Natanz in a bid to cripple Iran's strategic infrastructure.
On Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei issued a battle cry saying, "In the name of God, the battle begins." He added Iran "must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy."
