Who Was Ali Shadmani? Iran's Wartime Chief of Staff Killed Just Days After Taking Charge
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Shadmani led Khatam al-Anbiya, which coordinated Iran's combat operations, had played a critical role in shaping military strategies under Operation 'Rising Lion.'
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Tuesday claimed to have killed Iran's top military commander, General Ali Shadmani, in a targeted airstrike on central Tehran. Shadmani, described as the closest military advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had only recently taken charge as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters — Iran's wartime emergency command center.
Shadmani's appointment came just days earlier, after the killing of his predecessor Lt Gen Gholamali Rashid in another Israeli strike. On June 13, Khamenei named Shadmani as Iran's Wartime Chief of Staff, placing him in command of both the IRGC and the regular Iranian army as tensions surged.
What Israel Has Said
In a post on X, the IDF declared: 'For the second time in 5 days, the IDF has eliminated Iran's War-Time Chief of Staff, the regime's top military commander. Ali Shadmani, Iran's senior-most military official and Khamenei's closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise intelligence."
The IDF added that Shadmani led Khatam al-Anbiya, which coordinated Iran's combat operations and firepower plans, and had played a critical role in shaping military strategies under Operation 'Rising Lion." Before his elevation, he served as Deputy Commander of the emergency command center and Head of the Operations Directorate in Iran's General Staff forum.
There has been no official response from Tehran regarding Shadmani's reported death. If confirmed, it would mark the second high-ranking Iranian commander eliminated by Israel in less than a week, as part of what appears to be a sustained effort to dismantle Iran's military leadership.
First Published:
June 17, 2025, 14:57 IST
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