2 IRGC Commanders killed in Israeli airstrikes near Tehran

Two senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in Israeli airstrikes near Tehran on Friday night (June 20), the Israeli military said in a statement on Saturday, as cross-border tensions continue to escalate, reports Reuters.

The commanders, identified as Brigadier General Amin Pour Jodhi and Brigadier General Benham Shariari, were killed in separate Israeli strikes in Qom province and Tehran, respectively. Both held key strategic roles within the IRGC.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Jodhi headed the IRGC’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit, overseeing Iran’s growing drone capabilities. He was promoted to the post earlier this month following the start of Israeli operations on June 13. Iran is widely considered a regional leader in drone technology.

Shariari was responsible for coordinating with Iran-aligned militant groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, and managing weapons supply chains to these groups, the IDF said.

There has been no immediate comment from Iranian authorities or the IRGC on the reported deaths.

The strike is part of a broader Israeli campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Since operations began on June 13, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 430 people, according to Israeli military estimates. Among the dead is former IRGC chief of staff General Mohammad Bagheri, as well as several other senior military officials.

Israel has not officially acknowledged all individual strikes but maintains it is targeting what it calls "terror infrastructure" inside Iran. Tehran has vowed retaliation but has yet to disclose details on military losses from the recent escalation.