ALBAWABA - Tehran and Tel Aviv: Three reliable sources told Reuters that on Saturday, Israeli airstrikes killed Iran's Defense Minister and the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Israel confirmed that it was starting what it called a "pre-emptive" military action against Iran at the same time that the deaths were reported. The attack is part of a larger escalation between the two countries that is happening at a time when emotions in the region are rising.
Earlier on Saturday, an Iranian source said that several high-level IRGC commanders and political officials were also killed in airstrikes by the US and Israel that hit various areas of Iran.
According to Iran's Fars News Agency, there were at least three explosions in central Tehran after the strikes. However, the Iranian government has not yet released an official statement stating that the defense minister and IRGC chief were killed.
The prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that his country and the US had started working together to get rid of what he called Iran's "existential threat." He said again that stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons is still the most important thing.
The events have significantly increased hostilities, which could have effects on the stability of the area as a whole. As of now, there has been no official confirmation from the Iranian government about the claimed deaths.
Both sides are still figuring out what happened after the strikes, so the situation is still open.
