Since Feb. 28, 2026, a series of coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iran have killed several top political and military figures, striking at the core of the Islamic Republic's leadership. The escalation has intensified a widening Middle East conflict, disrupting global energy markets and key shipping routes.
The attacks came amid ongoing nuclear negotiations between Washington DC and Tehran, mediated by Oman, and mark the most significant assault on Iran in decades. They follow years of shadow conflict and a brief but intense 12-day war in June 2025.
Most prominent figures reported killed:
- Senior Officials
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Iran's Supreme Leader since 1989, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed at the age of 86 in a US-Israeli airstrike on his Tehran compound on Feb. 28.
Khamenei's three-decade rule was defined by a firm grip on power, reliance on Iran's security apparatus, and the expansion of Tehran's regional influence. His tenure was also marked by persistent tensions with the United States and Israel over Iran's nuclear programme.
Ali Larijani
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a veteran political figure, was killed at 67 in a March 17 airstrike in Tehran's Pardis area, according to Iranian media. His son and a deputy were also reported killed.
A former Revolutionary Guards commander and nuclear negotiator, Larijani was considered a key adviser to Khamenei and played a central role in shaping Iran's security and foreign policy.
Ali Shamkhani
Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei and a key figure in Iran's security and nuclear strategy, was killed in the Feb. 28 strikes on Tehran. A former defence minister, Shamkhani had recently returned to a central decision-making role after surviving an earlier attack during the June 2025 conflict.
- Top Military Commanders
Mohammad Pakpour
Commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Pakpour, was killed in the Feb. 28 strikes, according to Iranian state media. A veteran officer, he had assumed leadership of the IRGC after his predecessor, Hossein Salami, was killed during the June 2025 war.
Aziz Nasirzadeh
Iran's defence minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, was also killed in the Feb. 28 strikes, sources said. A career air force officer, he previously served as air force commander and deputy chief of staff of the armed forces.
Abdolrahim Mousavi
Chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Abdolrahim Mousavi, was killed during the same wave of strikes, reportedly while attending a meeting of senior leadership in Tehran. He had overseen coordination across Iran's military branches.
Gholamreza Soleimani
Gholamreza Soleimani, head of Iran's Basij paramilitary force, was killed in strikes on March 17, Iranian state media reported. He led a force central to Iran's internal security and enforcement mechanisms.
Esmail Khatib
Esmail Khatib Iran's intelligence minister, was killed in an Isareli strike on Wednesday, marking the second strike on a senior Iranian leadership figure in two days.
Khatib, appointed by former president Ebrahim Raisi in 2021, joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1980 and was sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury in 2022 over alleged cyber activities targeting the US and its allies.
Beyond these names, Iranian media have reported that multiple senior commanders from the IRGC, army, and intelligence services were also killed, particularly in the initial Feb. 28 strike that targeted a high-level leadership gathering in Tehran.
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