Israel says it killed Iran's top military commander who took charge 4 days ago
Israel's military on Tuesday claimed it had eliminated Major General Ali Shadmani, identifying him as Iran's wartime chief of staff and the country's most senior operational military commander at the time of his death.According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shadmani was leading the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters — Iran's military emergency command — and was effectively overseeing both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular armed forces. He had reportedly held the position for just four days before being killed in an Israeli airstrike.advertisementShadmani was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise intelligence, the military said. Iran has not confirmed nor denied the claim so far.
Shadmani took over the role after his predecessor, Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, was killed last Friday in what Israel described as its opening salvo in the ongoing strikes against Iran.Labelling him the "war chief of staff", the IDF said Shadmani was considered the closest top military figure to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following Rashid's death, according to the Times of Israel."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 services & valuable experience, I confer the rank of Major Gen. & appoint him Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Central HQ," Khamenei wrote in his post on the social media platform X while announcing Shadmani as the new head.advertisementThe Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, under Shadmani's command, was responsible for orchestrating Iran's combat operations and greenlighting attack plans, according to the Israeli military.The development came hours after world leaders at the G7 Summit in Canada issued a joint statement on the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, saying Tel Aviv has the "right to defend itself"."We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel," the statement read.Israel and Iran continued their military offensives against each other for the fifth straight day today, killing several civilians on both sides.In the early hours of the morning, Iranian media reported a series of explosions in Tehran, with plumes of smoke seen rising from the city's eastern districts. Heavy anti-aircraft fire lit up the skies as Iran's air defences attempted to intercept what were believed to be incoming Israeli projectiles. Air defence systems were also activated in Natanz, a strategically critical site housing Iran's key nuclear facilities, according to the Asriran news outlet.
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Totalitarian societies are not only able to squelch terrorism within their own borders, but also have a natural and philosophical alliance with terrorist groups.Q. What are the real dangers of terrorism?A. Terrorism obliterates the distinction between combatant and non-combatant. A child is seen as a potential soldier. A mother is seen as an enemy because she will give birth to a child. Their wars are waged in supermarkets, schools. While war is a tragic element of life, there are war crimes and they are not permissible. Terrorists deliberately choose women and children as targets because they are indefensible.Q. What nurtures terrorism?A. Terrorism grows by direct nurturing of class, political and religious conflicts. International terrorism has taken violent groups and internationalised the conflicts. For example, the PLO has offered arms and money and embassies for use by one side against the other in these conflicts - usually the radical left wing. But there are also right wing terrorist groups like the Mussolini Action Squads (Italian fascists). Why don't you hear about them? Because no mainstream governments have offered them any kind of What countries support international terrorism?A. Syria, South Yemen and Iran espouse doctrines of terrorist states. They have their own terrorists plus they support international groups. They use terrorism as an instrument of warfare against other states. There are very few cases where a local terrorist campaign - if it is successful - remains local. A determined group can sustain a terrorist campaign only if it can find a host government to support it.Q. How can governments fight terrorism?A. Governments facing terrorism must educate their citizens to be ever vigilant. Straight terrorist actions deliberately and systematically damage civilians. Those people who turned on those radios which exploded in Delhi had nothing to do with the grievances the terrorists were fighting. This is what distinguishes the victim of terrorism from the incidental civilian casualties of war. For example, the RAF bombers against Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen in World War II missed the target and released their bombs on scores of children. That was an accident. It was not terrorism.Q. What is the danger of world terrorism?A. Terrorism is a cancer that spreads. If it is not stopped it spreads through the body politic and it destroys democracies. It is not a marginal threat to democratic societies. It undermines the faith of people in the Government and in the rule of law. It is a precursor of anarchism, and anarchism is the precursor of Won't counter-measures destroy democracy?A. Democracies are often paralysed by the thought that if they take steps against terrorism they will destroy democracy. That's not true. Italy, West Germany, Britain. Israel - exemplary democracies who have taken steps against terrorism - have maintained their civil liberties and the rule of law by taking vigorous action against terrorists.Q. How can terrorism be fought?A. In the face of terrorism, citizens have to be educated to be soldiers. Democracies must use the mass media - TV, radio - and show the people what terrorist bombs and devices look like. And governments must refuse as far as possible to yield to terrorist demands. Surrender produces more terrorism. Whenever possible, even in hostage situations, action must be taken to free the hostages even at considerable cost of life. Other steps include infiltration of terrorist groups through intelligence, disruption and seeking out of terrorist sanctuaries and concentrations before they can get you: Israel had a terrorist mini-state of 30,000 with a potential army of 60,000 in the north. Our cities were beginning to empty out because of indefensible danger from terrorists. In this case we had to pursue the terrorist threat outside our Isn't there a danger of a wide war if terrorists are pursued across national borders?A. It makes no difference if they are inside or outside the country. A government's primary duty is to ensure the safety of its citizens. If the terrorists are outside your territory that is controlled by a government either assisting the terrorists or is unable to control them, then you have every right and obligation for cross border attacks. Or if a foreign government is colluding with the terrorists - like Idi Amin, who was in cahoots with German and Arab terrorists (in Entebbe) then you should not be paralysed by a misguided absolutist concept of sovereignty. By doing so we're protecting the very countries who support shadow wars and are not themselves guided by this doctrine. There can be no paralysis. A democratic government has to establish the principle that terrorism is But terrorists claim they are justified because all other means have failed.A. The moment you begin to rationalise the motives of people using terrorism you become open to further terrorism. Terrorism for any goal is unjustifiable. Nothing can justify blowing up the brains of a two-year-old girl, or blasting a bus full of schoolchildren. The minute you begin to make excuses, you paralyse yourself and lose moral authority. A democratic government must learn this lesson first.Q. Is Israel now in a better position politically, for taking the stands that it has?A. Throughout the decade of the 70s, Israel was isolated and ostracised. But it hasn't worked. We see a great improvement in Israel's international position in the 1980s. This is partly because of the decline of Arab oil power. There is now no fear of the oil embargo that was felt in Washington, Paris, Tokyo. Israel had been expelled from Africa because of Arab pressure and oil promises. But Israel is now coming back to Africa. The Arab threat is no real threat and the Arab promises were no real promises.Q. Can you give some specifics?A. Israel's aid and agricultural exports are now being sought increasingly in countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. We now have diplomatic relations with 70 other countries and other formal relationships with a hundred more asking for economic, scientific and military cooperation. And the numbers are increasing every day. Every day of the week there is an approach to us being made by a new country. And this represents a dramatic change. Our decade of isolation is over.Q. Any other reasons for this change?A. Another reason for the change is the decline of the PLO. The blow they received in Lebanon not only destroyed their capability of terror against Israel, but also destroyed their position as a terrorist mini-state and their power to intimidate other Arab states. They no longer have this power of intimidation. Before Lebanon, the PLO had the aura of inevitability - the destruction of the State of Israel. This is no longer true. There is now set the stage for different movements for accommodation between Israel and its neighbours and the West Bank.Q. How does this change Israel's global relationships?A. This also means that internationally many other countries are no longer afraid of the oil threat and PLO blackmail. And this opens up new economic and political opportunities. We would like very much to expand ties with India. India recognises our right to exist. But we are now even getting approaches from countries that don't even recognise us.Q. What common interests do you see between Israel and India?A. India is a sister democracy. We admire India and its potential. There can be tremendous mutual benefits with closer ties. More and more countries are now acting in their own interests rather than placating Arab pressure. We don't even ask India to accept all our political positions. We have trade and economic relations with countries who have much less in common with us than does India. It's high time that Israel and India cement their to India Today MagazineTune InMust Watch
