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IDF Spokesperson/TPS-IL on 28 February, 2026
Israel Confirms Deaths of Senior Iran’s Security Figures
Jerusalem, 1 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- After the first day of coordinated Israeli and U.S. air strikes on Iran, the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday night confirmed the deaths of several senior Iranian security and defense figures, describing the operation as a significant blow to the regime’s military leadership and strategic capabilities.
IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin’s announcement did not name supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini. Earlier in the evening, a security source told Israeli media that Khameini had been killed. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that a photo of his shrapnel-riddled body being removed from rubble had been shown to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Among the senior Iranians Defrin confirmed was Ali Shamkhani, who served as secretary of Iran’s Defense Council and was a central figure in the country’s security decision-making process. Shamkhani also acted as a personal adviser to Khamenei on security matters and was considered one of the most influential figures shaping Iran’s strategic posture.
The IDF also confirmed the death of Mohammad Fakhpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps since last year. Fakhpour was identified as a leading figure behind what Israel describes as Iran’s “Plan to Destroy Israel.” In his role, he commanded central military forces in Iran, oversaw strategic firepower directed at Israel and coordinated support for Iran-backed terrorist organizations across the Midd arenas. The military said he also played a direct role in violently suppressing anti-regime protests inside Iran last month.
Another senior figure killed was Salah Asadi, head of the Intelligence Department of Iran’s Emergency Command and a senior intelligence officer at the Supreme Headquarters of the Iranian forces. Asadi was involved in shaping Iran’s strategy toward Israel and the United States and was heavily engaged in planning hostile actions, according to the IDF.
Mohammad Shirazi, who headed the military bureau of Ali Khamenei since 1989, was also among the dead. Shirazi was responsible for maintaining ties between the supreme leader and senior armed forces commanders and was described by Israel as a central figure at the top of the regime.
The strikes additionally killed Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defense minister and a former air force commander, along with Hossein Jabel Amaleyan and Reza Matfernia, current and former heads of the SPND organization which was responsible for advancing nuclear, biological and chemical weapons projects.
