3Tel Aviv, Israel – In an official announcement reflecting an unprecedented Israeli escalation deep inside Iran, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed on Thursday the killing of Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. This followed a precise airstrike by the Israeli military targeting a strategic site in the coastal city of Bandar Abbas.
Katz: The Tangsiri assassination is a direct message to the Revolutionary Guard
During a security assessment meeting with senior military officials at IDF headquarters, Katz stated, “The IDF successfully eliminated the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, the man directly responsible for threatening international shipping, laying sea mines, and planning to close the Strait of Hormuz to global trade.” The Israeli Defense Minister described the operation as a “firm message” to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps leadership. He emphasized, “The IDF will pursue you everywhere and eliminate you one by one. There will be no immunity for any official involved in targeting our security or threatening international interests.” Katz added that Israel will continue its operations inside Iran “with full force.” This will continue until all war objectives are achieved and hostile military capabilities are degraded.
Details of the operation in Bandar Abbas
According to Israeli security officials, the attack targeted Tangsiri in the strategic port city of Bandar Abbas while he was holding a secret meeting with senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. Reports indicate that the strike was carried out based on precise intelligence that allowed them to reach the target the moment he was inside the compound. This resulted in his death and the deaths of several of his companions. Ali Reza Tangsiri, who had led the navy since 2018, was one of the most prominent hardliners in the Iranian regime. He was also considered the chief architect of the “fast boat” strategy and mine warfare in the Persian Gulf. Observers believe his death represents a significant blow to the Iranian naval command structure. This strike comes particularly amidst escalating tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. The international community is now awaiting the nature of the Iranian response to this operation, amid warnings of the region sliding into a full-blown naval confrontation.
