Egypt Daily News – Iranian state television has confirmed that General Hossein Salami, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in Israeli airstrikes early Friday morning, a major blow to Iran’s leadership amid ongoing regional unrest and nearly two years of conflict in the Middle East.
Salami, 65, had led the IRGC since 2019 and was a central figure in shaping Iran’s military and ideological posture, especially against Israel and the United States. His death marks a significant setback for Iran’s hardline establishment.
From Domestic Force to Regional Power
The IRGC, established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has evolved from a domestic security entity into a powerful transnational force. It operates alongside Iran’s conventional military but wields broader influence, including control over Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal. That arsenal has been used to strike Israel twice during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Under Salami’s leadership, the IRGC expanded its regional presence, backing Iran’s allies in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. He previously commanded the Guard’s air forces and was deputy commander before his appointment by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in 2019.
His rise coincided with escalating tensions with the U.S., following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the subsequent designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
A Legacy of Threats and Retaliation
Salami was known for his aggressive rhetoric. In a 2016 speech, he called for the “annihilation” of Israel, describing conditions as “fertile” for the collapse of the “Zionist regime.” He frequently warned both Israel and the United States of retaliation for attacks against Iranian commanders.
After the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani, head of the IRGC’s elite Quds Force, Salami threatened senior American and Israeli military leaders. Five days later, Iran fired ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq, injuring several American troops.
From Shadow War to Open Conflict
Iran and Israel have long engaged in a covert shadow war, but recent years have seen a dramatic escalation in direct confrontations.
Following an Israeli strike that killed seven IRGC members, including two generals at an Iranian diplomatic facility in Syria, Salami vowed retaliation. In response, Iran launched over 300 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles in a massive operation that brought the region to the brink of a wider war. Israel reported intercepting 99% of the projectiles, with only minor damage caused to one air base.
In subsequent months, Israel carried out retaliatory airstrikes, targeting Iranian missile production sites and weakening its air defenses, setting the stage for Friday’s lethal strike that killed Salami.
