Tehran, Iran – In a development reflecting the scale of the ongoing military escalation, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially announced on Friday the death of Brigadier General Behnam Rezaei, deputy head of the IRGC Navy’s intelligence division. An official statement from the IRGC command stated that “Brigadier General Behnam Rezaei was martyred while performing his duties,” without disclosing precise details about the location or circumstances of his death. This has fueled speculation about a targeted assassination operation that struck one of Iran’s highest-ranking naval intelligence officials.
Trump’s threats: Bridges and power stations are next targets
In Washington, US President Donald Trump continued his unprecedentedly escalating rhetoric toward Tehran. Trump declared that the United States “has not even begun to destroy what’s left of Iran,” reiterating his threats to launch more powerful and lethal attacks targeting the Iranian state’s critical infrastructure. “The US military has not even started to destroy what’s left of Iran,” Trump wrote on his social media accounts late Thursday night. “Bridges are next, then power plants.”
In a direct warning to the Iranian leadership, he added, “They know what to do, and they must do it quickly!”—a clear reference to Washington’s demands that Iran cease its military operations that disrupt international shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis and international mobilization
These developments come at a time when the region is experiencing a paralysis of maritime traffic, as dozens of countries and international organizations seek alternative routes or diplomatic solutions to ensure the resumption of vital energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a crucial artery for the global economy, and its disruption has led to soaring fuel prices and severe global supply shortages. With the assassination of intelligence chief Rezaei and Trump’s threat to destroy bridges, the confrontation between Tehran and Washington appears to have entered a critical phase. These developments unfold amid international fears that the region could slide into a full-blown war that would further destabilize the already fragile global energy supply.
