Israel eliminates Iranian naval chief amid rising Middle East tensions

An Israeli official confirms the assassination of Revolutionary Guard Navy chief Alireza Tangsiri, part of a broader campaign against Iran’s top military and political leaders amid escalating regional tensions.

Annahar

Israel eliminates Iranian naval chief amid rising Middle East tensions

Alireza Tangsiri, Commander of the Navy of the Revolutionary Guard.

An Israeli official announced the assassination of the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s naval forces.

The official emphasized today, Thursday, that the Israeli army eliminated the head of the naval forces, "Admiral Alireza Tangsiri," in raids on Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

According to Israeli officials, Tangsiri, who has served as the Revolutionary Guard’s navy chief since 2018, is the main architect of plans to close the Strait of Hormuz. An Israeli official confirmed to Channel 12 that this Iranian leader was responsible for the closure of this critical strait, through which five global oil and gas shipments pass.

Commander of the Revolutionary Guard's naval forces Alireza Tangsiri.

Earlier this month, the commander stated that his forces have full control over the Strait of Hormuz, noting that “there is no need to lay mines” as long as this control is maintained.

Born in Bushehr in 1962, Tangsiri joined the Revolutionary Guard at a young age, possesses extensive field experience in naval operations, and is recognized as a prominent military leader.

Since the outbreak of war on February 28 last year, Israel has assassinated dozens of prominent political and military leaders, particularly within the Revolutionary Guard. Joint Israeli-American raids on the first day of the war resulted in the elimination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Guard’s commander Mohammad Pakpour, and Abdul Rahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the armed forces.

Israel also assassinated Basij leader Gholam Reza Soleimani, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and his successor, along with dozens of other military leaders and officers.

It has also vowed to assassinate the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Major General Amir Hatami, the overall army commander, Major General Ahmad Vahidi, appointed Revolutionary Guard commander after Pakpour’s killing, and Major General Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters.