Israel claims killing senior IRGC intelligence chief in Tehran strike, marking escalation
TEHRAN, ISRAEL: Israel says it has killed a key Iranian military figure in a strike in Tehran, marking the latest in a series of high-profile assassinations since hostilities intensified in late February.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its air force “eliminated” Asghar Bagheri, who had led the Special Operations Unit of the Quds Force since 2019.
The Quds Force operates under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is responsible for overseas missions.
According to the IDF, Bagheri played a central role in planning attacks against Israeli and American targets globally and oversaw operations along the Syrian-Israeli frontier.
There has been no immediate confirmation or response from Tehran regarding the claim.
The reported strike came hours after Iran announced the killing of another top security figure.
Maj Gen Majid Khademi, intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was assassinated earlier on Monday, according to an official statement.
Nuclear safety concerns mount over military activity near nuclear power plant
Amid the escalating conflict, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) raised alarm over military activity near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant.
A projectile struck an area close to the facility on Sunday, the fourth such incident since the conflict began, according to Iranian state media. The IAEA confirmed that recent strikes had landed as close as 75 metres from the plant’s perimeter, though the facility itself remains undamaged.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that continued attacks near the operational site, which houses significant nuclear fuel, could trigger a “severe radiological accident” with consequences extending beyond Iran’s borders.
Escalation raises regional stakes
The developments signal a dangerous escalation in the conflict, with targeted killings of senior commanders coinciding with growing concerns over the safety of critical nuclear infrastructure.
While Israel has intensified its strikes on Iranian-linked targets, the absence of official Iranian confirmation on some incidents adds to the uncertainty surrounding the unfolding situation.
