Iran’s IRGC navy chief Alireza Tangsiri killed in Israeli strike on Bandar Abbas

WEB DESK: An Israeli official has claimed that Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the high-ranking commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, has been killed in a targeted strike in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.

According to the Economic Times, the report, first disclosed by The Times of Israel and Israeli state broadcaster Kan TV, suggests that the veteran commander was the primary target of an aerial bombardment earlier today.

While verified footage from the ground shows significant damage to a building in the coastal city, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have yet to release a formal military communiqué confirming the success of the operation.

Strategic blow to Tehran’s maritime power

If confirmed, the death of Admiral Tangsiri would represent one of the most consequential assassinations of an Iranian military leader since the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani.

Having led the IRGC’s naval wing since 2018, Tangsiri was the chief architect of Iran’s asymmetric maritime strategy and was instrumental in enforcing the recent “toll regime” and blockades across the Strait of Hormuz.

His reported elimination comes amid the escalating “Operation True Promise 4” conflict, which has seen direct and sustained military engagements between Israel, the United States, and Iranian forces.

Tehran has remained notably silent following the reports, with state media providing no immediate update on the commander’s condition.