Israel Defense Forces announced Thursday that in a nighttime operation, they killed senior Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy leaders, including Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri. Tangsiri was a key figure leading the IRGC in blocking the Strait of Hormuz’s navigation.
The IDF stated that the killing of Tangsiri and others dealt a significant blow to Iran’s capability to plan terrorist activities at sea.
During a nighttime airstrike by the Israeli Air Force on the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, Tangsiri was meeting with senior IRGC Navy officers.
In addition to Tangsiri, the airstrike also killed IRGC Navy intelligence chief Behnam Rezaei. The names of other Iranian senior commanders killed in the airstrike have not been disclosed by the Israeli military.
Israeli Defense Minister Katz introduced this significant operation by the IDF on Thursday, stating that in a precise and deadly operation, they successfully killed Tangsiri and multiple senior naval commanders. Katz added that Tangsiri bore direct responsibility for Iran’s terrorist actions in the Strait of Hormuz and blocking global shipping. He has now been eliminated, sending a clear message to all senior officials of the IRGC, the terrorist organization currently controlling Iran: the IDF will track you down one by one and eliminate you.
Katz also stated that Israel will continue to use all its power to fight against Iran to achieve its wartime objectives. This operation also sent an important message to their American partners, demonstrating the assistance provided by the Israeli Defense Forces in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Tangsiri served as the IRGC Navy Commander for the past eight years. The Israeli military mentioned that “Tangsiri planned attacks on oil tankers and commercial ships for years, personally threatening navigation and trade freedom in the Strait of Hormuz and international waters.”
The Israeli Defense Forces stated that during the current conflict, Tangsiri “led operations to block the Strait of Hormuz and promoted terrorist attacks at sea” and was one of the main disruptors of the global economy.
Katz reiterated that Israel will continue to use all its power and might to fight against Iran to achieve its wartime objectives. The Israeli Defense Minister also noted that this operation conveyed an important message to their American partners, showcasing the assistance provided by the IDF in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The Israeli military declared that the killing of Tangsiri and other IRGC naval leaders “constitutes another significant blow to the IRGC’s command and control system and its ability to plan terrorist activities at sea.”