An Israeli security source said on June 13 that Israeli strikes on Friday had “most likely killed” Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Head of Staff of Iran’s armed forces. The operation, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, was aimed specifically at Iran’s nuclear and military facilities.
“It is possible that the Iranian chief of staff and top nuclear officials were killed in the first strike,” the Israeli official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
The attack came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a potential “massive conflict” in the region and struck at strategic Iranian locations, including its Natanz nuclear enrichment plant and military bases.
Netanyahu’s Statement on Operation Rising Lion
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attested that the operation hit “at the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme,” comprising assaults on Iran’s atomic complex at Natanz and the killing of nuclear scientists “who were working on the Iranian bomb.”
Contrary to Israeli reports, Iranian state media challenged the report, claiming that Bagheri is still alive and is operating from a military war room. Iranian sources also verified civilian casualties resulting from the attack, including children and women, and reported Chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, was dead.
Who is Mohammad Bagheri?
Major General Mohammad Bagheri, née Mohammad-Hossein Afshordi, is Iran’s highest-ranking military commander and a high-ranking commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Bagheri has been the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces since 2016.
Bagheri entered the IRGC in 1980 and openly took part in the Iran-Iraq War. He possesses an engineering degree and a doctorate in political geography from Tarbiyat-e Modares University. On 28 June 2016, Bagheri became chairman of the Armed Forces General Staff, replacing Hassan Firouzabadi.
Role in Iranian Military Operations
Bagheri has played a tactical role in Iran’s war planning and operations, such as intelligence and unconventional warfare. He belongs to the IRGC Command Network, which holds sway over Iran’s military command, as determined by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The IRGC Command Network oversees operations, intelligence, internal security, and clandestine warfare.
Bagheri’s military career stretches back to the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Reports suggest he was among the students who seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran. He also claimed involvement in most of the key operations during the Iran-Iraq War.
His other brother, Hassan Bagheri (Gholam-Hossein Afshordi), was a great IRGC commander who died in the Iran-Iraq War. Mohammad Bagheri gained recognition among high-ranking military personnel, including Qassem Soleimani, by participating in strategic sessions during the Iran-Iraq War.
While Israeli officials suspect the initial wave of airstrikes killed Bagheri, Iranian media continues to claim he is alive. The contradictory reports show the increased level of tension and misinformation in the aftermath of the mounting military conflict between Israel and Iran.