ALBAWABA- Unconfirmed reports circulating on social media and in several regional media outlets claim that Ahmad Vahidi, commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in recent Israeli airstrikes targeting sites in or around Tehran.
On Sunday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out an airstrike allegedly on a Hezbollah command centre in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut, following earlier rocket fire launched into northern Israel by Hezbollah.
In response, Iran declared that Israel had “crossed all red lines” in Lebanon and launched multiple waves of ballistic missile strikes targeting Israeli territory late on Sunday, June 7 and continuing into Monday morning. Air-raid sirens sounded across northern, central, and southern Israel, including the Tel Aviv area, forcing millions of residents to seek shelter.
Within hours of the Iranian barrage, Israeli forces launched a large-scale counteroffensive. Dozens of Israeli warplanes struck 12 military and strategic sites across central and western Iran. Targets reportedly included radar installations, truck-mounted missile launchers, and a major petrochemical facility in Mahshahr.
Following the Israeli strikes, Iran fired additional missile salvos toward Israel before its military command announced a temporary pause in operations, while warning of more severe retaliation if Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue. As of publication, neither Iranian authorities nor the IRGC have confirmed the reports. Israeli officials have also not commented on the claim.
Vahidi, a brigadier general and prominent hardline figure within Iran’s security establishment, assumed command of the IRGC in March 2026 following the deaths of senior commanders, including Hossein Salami and Mohammad Pakpour, during the early stages of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.
Before becoming IRGC chief, Vahidi served in several senior positions, including deputy commander of the IRGC, interior minister, and commander of the Quds Force during the 1990s. He was also the subject of an Interpol notice linked to the 1994 AMIA bombing in Argentina. Widely regarded as a close ally of Iran’s leadership, Vahidi played a significant role in shaping the country’s regional military strategy and missile program.
Israeli operations in recent weeks have reportedly focused on degrading Iran’s remaining missile capabilities and targeting senior military and security figures in Tehran and other strategic locations.
Vahidi’s death, if confirmed, marks another major setback for Iran’s military command structure and could further weaken the IRGC’s leadership at a critical stage of the conflict. However, given the absence of official confirmation and the prevalence of misinformation during wartime, analysts caution against concluding until credible evidence emerges.
Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any assassination of senior military leaders would be met with retaliation, while Israel has maintained that it will continue striking what it describes as threats to its national security.
The situation remains fluid, with regional observers closely monitoring for official statements from Tehran and further developments on the battlefield.
