Tehran/Jerusalem: In a significant escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel, Iranian state media has officially confirmed the deaths of Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi, the chief of intelligence of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with his deputy Hassan Mohaqiq, in an Israeli airstrike. A third IRGC intelligence officer, Mohsen Bagheri, was also killed in the strike on Tehran, according to The Times of Israel, citing Iranian sources.
The targeted strike marks one of the most severe blows to Iran’s intelligence apparatus in recent years.
Khamenei Evacuated to Bunker in Tehran
Following the airstrikes, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly evacuated along with his family to an underground bunker in Lavizan, northeastern Tehran. This is the third such evacuation since Iran’s missile attacks on Israel in April and October 2024, reflecting growing concern over the safety of the country’s top leadership amid Israeli military operations.
Israeli sources quoted by The Times of Israel claimed that Khamenei was deliberately spared during the initial phase of Operation Rising Lion to allow a “final opportunity” for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program—a demand Israel has consistently stressed to prevent the Islamic Republic from developing nuclear weapons.
IDF’s “Extensive” Strikes Hit IRGC, Quds Force Sites
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced the completion of an “extensive wave” of airstrikes aimed at crippling Iran’s weapons manufacturing infrastructure. According to the IDF, these strikes targeted numerous facilities belonging to the IRGC, the Quds Force, and the Iranian military, aiming to dismantle their capacity for missile and drone production.
“Numerous weapons production sites across Iran were targeted,” the IDF stated.
The air assault represents one of the largest direct Israeli attacks on Iranian territory in decades.
Iranian Missile Barrage Injures Eight in Israel
Meanwhile, Iran’s ballistic missile retaliation over the weekend injured eight people in Israel, according to emergency services provider Magen David Adom. A missile strike in Haifa left one person moderately injured and six others lightly wounded. In the south near Kiryat Gat, another person suffered light injuries.
Additionally, nine people in Haifa and southern Israel required treatment for acute anxiety attacks triggered by the missile impacts.
Over 100 Iranian Drones Intercepted, Says IDF
Earlier, the IDF reported successfully intercepting over 100 Iranian UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) launched toward Israel in a large-scale aerial assault.
“Iran sent more than 100 UAVs at Israel. We intercepted them,” the IDF posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Iran Claims Discovery of Israeli Drone Factory on its Soil
In a fresh development, Iranian security forces have allegedly uncovered a three-story Israeli drone factory operating covertly inside Iran, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, which is linked to the IRGC. Tehran reportedly suspects that other such hidden facilities exist and has launched operations to locate them.