TEL AVIV / TEHRAN – June 17, 2025 – Israel announced on Tuesday that its forces had killed Iran’s newly appointed wartime chief of staff, Major General Ali Shamdani, marking the second such elimination of Iran’s most senior military leader in less than a week. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that Shamdani was killed at the regime’s headquarters in Tehran.

IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin confirmed the development in a statement, emphasizing the precision of the operation. “For the second time in 5 days, the IDF has eliminated Iran’s Wartime Chief of Staff, the regime’s top military commander,” the IDF posted on X. “Ali Shadmani, Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise intelligence.”

According to the Times of Israel, Shamdani had only led the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters—Iran’s military emergency command—for approximately four days. He succeeded Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, who was reportedly killed in Israel’s initial strikes on Iran on June 13. In his role, Shamdani was allegedly responsible for managing combat operations and approving Iran’s strategic attack plans.

NBC News corroborated that Israel targeted the commander “in the heart of Tehran,” indicating a “sudden opportunity” was seized for the high-profile operation.

This latest action comes as part of “Operation Rising Lion,” an ongoing Israeli campaign that has reportedly seen the elimination of several key figures within Iran’s military and nuclear proliferation programs. Brigadier General Defrin reiterated Israel’s commitment to relentlessly pursuing its adversaries, stating, “through advanced intelligence capabilities, exploiting emerging opportunities, air superiority, and complex operational planning.”

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had publicly announced Shamdani’s appointment via his English-language X account just days prior, following Rashid’s death. “In view of Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid’s martyrdom at the hands of the vile Zionist regime, and in light of Major General Ali Shadmani’s meritorious service and valuable experience, I confer the rank of Major Gen. & appoint him Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Central HQ,” Khamenei’s post read.

The repeated targeting of Iran’s top military leadership signals a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between the two regional adversaries.