In a dramatic escalation of the West Asia conflict, Israel has carried out multiple waves of strikes against Iran, resulting in the deaths of the country’s most senior political, spiritual, military, and scientific leaders. The attacks, which occurred in June 2025 and most recently on February 28, 2026, have decimated the upper echelons of Iran’s leadership.
Here is the full list of prominent Iranian figures reportedly killed in Israeli strikes.
Killed in February 28, 2026 Strikes
The most recent attacks have resulted in the deaths of Iran’s top leadership, creating a massive power vacuum.
- Ali Hosseini Khamenei (Former Supreme Leader): The 86-year-old leader, who held the final say on all policy and religious matters since 1989, was killed. As commander-in-chief, the entire Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) answered personally to him.
- Ali Shamkhani (Senior Advisor): A long-serving and highly influential figure, Shamkhani was a key advisor to Khamenei and had been overseeing sensitive negotiations with the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear programme.
- Abdolrahim Mousavi (Chief of Staff of Armed Forces): Killed just days after warning the U.S. that any military confrontation would be an “unforgettable lesson” for President Trump. He was central to Iran’s drone and missile strategy.
- Amir Nazirzadeh (Minister of Defence): The Defence Minister, who had also previously served as Commander of the Air Force, was killed in the airstrikes.
- Mohammed Pakpour (Commander-in-Chief of IRGC): Pakpour had assumed the top role in the IRGC in June 2025 following the death of his predecessor. He was killed in the February 28 attacks.
Killed in June 13, 2025 Strikes (‘Operation Rising Lion’)
The large-scale operation codenamed ‘Operation Rising Lion’ targeted Tehran and killed a staggering number of high-ranking military commanders and key nuclear scientists.
Military Leadership
- General Hossein Salami: Former Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, known for his warnings of opening the “gates of hell” if attacked.
- General Mohammed Bagheri: Former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the country’s highest-ranking military officer.
- General Gholamali Rashid: Former head of the Khatam Al-Anbia Central Command Headquarters, responsible for planning joint military operations.
- General Amir Ali Hajizadeh: Long-time head of the IRGC Aerospace Force, overseeing Iran’s entire ballistic missile and drone programmes.
- General Mehdi Rabbani: Deputy of Operations of the General Staff, a key architect of internal and regional military strategies.
- General Mahmoud Bagheri: Former Chief of Staff, considered the top military brain and a key strategist.
- General Davoud Sheikhian: Senior commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force.
- General Mohammad Bagher Taherpour: Senior IRGC commander.
- General Mansour Safarpour: Brigadier General in the IRGC Aerospace Force.
- General Masoud Tayyeb: Spokesperson for the IRGC Aerospace Force.
- General Khosro Hasani: Deputy head of the IRGC Aerospace Force.
- General Javad Jarsara: Spokesperson for the IRGC Aerospace Force.
Intelligence Leadership
- General Mohammad Kazemi: Former commander of the IRGC Intelligence Organisation, responsible for monitoring dissent.
- General Hassan Mohaghegh: Deputy Head of the IRGC Intelligence Organisation, in charge of internal security and counter-intelligence.
- General Mohsen Bagheri: Head of the Quds Force Intelligence Division, responsible for supporting Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
Nuclear Scientists and Key Figures
- Fereidoun Abbasi-Davani: Former head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) and a foremost nuclear scientist.
- Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi: Prominent theoretical physicist and President of Islamic Azad University.
- Amir Hossein Feqhi: Nuclear engineer, Vice-President of AEOI, and head of the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute.
- Akbar Motalebizadeh: Senior nuclear scientist and head of the ‘Shahid Karimi Group’ focused on advanced weapon technologies.
- Ahmad Reza Zolfaghari: Nuclear physics professor, identified as one of the few experts capable of nuclear bomb yield calculations.
- Ali Bokouei Katrimi: Physicist specialising in nuclear physics and explosives technologies.
- Saeed Borji: Senior member of S.P.N.D. and explosives trigger expert crucial to nuclear detonation technologies.
- Mansour Asgari: Head of Research and Technology at S.P.N.D., an expert in nuclear detonation sequences.
Killed in June 15, 2025 Strikes
- General Mohammad Kazemi: (Listed above, reported on this date)
- General Hassan Mohaghegh: (Listed above, reported on this date)
- General Mohsen Bagheri: (Listed above, reported on this date)
The full impact of these devastating losses on Iran’s government, military command structure, and nuclear programme is yet to be fully understood, but it represents one of the most significant decapitations of a state’s leadership in modern history.
