In a dramatic escalation of its shadow war with Iran, Israel confirmed on Tuesday the elimination of Ali Shadmani, the newly appointed War-Time Chief of Staff of Iran’s armed forces. The strike, carried out deep inside Tehran, targeted the Khatam al-Anbiya emergency command center and marks the second killing of Iran’s top military chief within days.
BY PC Bureau
June 18, 2025 — In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday that it has killed Ali Shadmani, Iran’s newly appointed War-Time Chief of Staff and the country’s top military commander, in a precision airstrike in central Tehran. The strike comes just days after Shadmani took over the role following the death of his predecessor in an earlier Israeli operation.
The IDF confirmed that the overnight strike targeted a staffed Iranian military command center in Tehran. The attack was carried out by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) based on intelligence from the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate. According to Israel, Shadmani was not only the War-Time Chief of Staff but also the commander of Iran’s Emergency Command and a senior figure with direct access to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
READ: India Overtakes Pakistan in Nukes; China Way Ahead: SIPRI
Shadmani had been tasked with overseeing both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army, placing him at the helm of Iran’s wartime strategy and operations. The command center he led, Khatam al-Anbiya, was responsible for directing Iran’s combat plans, including the approval of long-range missile and drone strikes — many of which were allegedly designed to target Israeli territory and interests.
NEWS UPDATE: Ali Shadmani, a top Iranian military commander and close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an overnight strike in Tehran, according to the Israeli military on Tuesday.
The military said it targeted a command center in the heart of the… pic.twitter.com/HBTeskFmCx
— Daily Tribune (@tribunephl) June 17, 2025
The IDF stated that Shadmani’s elimination is part of a broader campaign—Operation Rising Lion—that has so far resulted in the deaths of multiple senior Iranian military leaders, including Alaa Ali Rashid, Shadmani’s predecessor. Rashid was killed in the opening salvo of the operation, triggering a reshuffle within Iran’s high command that placed Shadmani at the top just days before his death.
READ: “Get Out of Tehran”: Trump’s Chilling Warning as He Cuts G7 Visit Short
Before ascending to the top role, Shadmani served as Deputy Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya emergency command and headed Iran’s General Staff Operations Directorate. Israeli officials claim that he played a critical role in shaping Tehran’s regional military strategy, including the coordination of proxy activities and direct threats against Israel.
His killing marks a major blow to the Iranian military’s command and control structure and is likely to further inflame regional tensions. Israeli sources described it as a “strategic degradation” of Iran’s military leadership, while Iranian state media has yet to confirm the report officially.
NEWS UPDATE: Ali Shadmani, a top Iranian military commander and close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an overnight strike in Tehran, according to the Israeli military on Tuesday.
The military said it targeted a command center in the heart of the… pic.twitter.com/HBTeskFmCx
— Daily Tribune (@tribunephl) June 17, 2025
The current phase of Israel-Iran hostilities escalated after Iran reportedly supported intensified missile and drone attacks by proxy groups targeting Israeli and Western assets in the region. In response, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s military leadership and crippling its offensive capabilities.
Israel’s latest strike is seen as a continuation of its strategy of high-value assassinations and precision strikes designed to disrupt Iranian war-planning, particularly amid fears of a broader regional war.
READ: Mizoram: BJP Ousted from Chakma Council After Just 4 Months
