Key Iranian Leaders Killed in Israel’s Operation Rising Lion: What Their Deaths Mean For The Region

 Israel’s bold military strike, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, has shaken the foundations of Iran’s military leadership, eliminating three of its most powerful figures. The deaths of Major General Hossein Salami, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, and former National Security Chief Ali Shamkhani mark a severe blow to Iran’s defense apparatus and may significantly impact its ability to respond to future threats.

Here’s a look at who they were — and why their deaths matter.

---

Major General Hossein Salami

Commander-in-Chief, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

As the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps since 2019, Major General Hossein Salami wielded immense power within Iran’s security and military structure. Reporting directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Salami oversaw the country’s most influential military institution — one that has crushed domestic dissent and extended Iran’s influence across the Middle East.

Born in 1960, Salami directed Iran’s regional strategy, supporting proxy groups like Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and Yemen’s Houthis. The IRGC under his leadership played a major role in escalating tensions with Israel, including launching hundreds of missiles and drones against Israeli territory in 2023.

Salami also made headlines for inspecting underground weapons facilities believed to be producing advanced missile systems. His public appearances were carefully choreographed to project strength — including walking over American and Israeli flags on state TV.

His tenure was not without controversy. In 2020, under his leadership, the IRGC mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing 176 civilians. Though a lower-ranking officer was blamed and sentenced, the incident damaged Iran’s global reputation.

Removing Salami is a strategic loss for Iran. His role is comparable to that of a U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — a military figure whose death creates immediate command disruption and symbolic loss.

---

Major General Mohammad Bagheri

Chief of Staff, Iranian Armed Forces

Since 2016, Mohammad Bagheri served as Iran’s highest-ranking military officer, overseeing all branches of the Iranian military. His leadership covered a force estimated to number over 500,000 active personnel, making his role critical to both policy implementation and battlefield coordination.

Bagheri was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2019 for his role in advancing Iran’s regional military interventions and supporting terrorist activities through Iranian proxies.

He was known for visiting Iranian troops in Syria and played a prominent role in bolstering Iranian operations abroad. In a notable diplomatic moment, Bagheri met Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Tehran — a rare meeting that emphasized the delicate balance of regional power politics.

That meeting included a warning from the Saudis: Iran should take U.S. offers for renewed nuclear negotiations seriously or risk a broader war — a warning that has proven prescient in light of recent events.

Bagheri’s death removes a critical node in Iran’s military decision-making hierarchy, further complicating its ability to coordinate a swift or organized retaliation.

---

Ali Shamkhani

Former National Security Chief and Diplomatic Strategist

Ali Shamkhani was a veteran of Iran’s political and military circles, serving as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 2013 to 2023. Though removed from his post last year, he remained an influential adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei and was central to Iran’s diplomatic engagements, including its recent rapprochement with Saudi Arabia.

Shamkhani was the face of Iran’s diplomacy during China-brokered talks that restored ties between Tehran and Riyadh — a major foreign policy achievement for Iran. He was also a prominent player in nuclear negotiations with the U.S. and the EU, often warning that Iran might expel UN inspectors if pressured too harshly.

Though ambitious — even running for president in 2001 — some analysts believe that his growing popularity and influence may have eventually led to his sidelining by Khamenei.

Nevertheless, Shamkhani continued to serve as a behind-the-scenes strategist on nuclear and security issues. His loss is both symbolic and practical, depriving Iran of one of its most experienced diplomats and power brokers at a moment of escalating international pressure.

---

A Turning Point for Iran — and the Region

The coordinated removal of Salami, Bagheri, and Shamkhani represents one of the most decisive and devastating blows ever dealt to Iran’s military and strategic leadership. Analysts warn that this not only disrupts Iran’s immediate capacity to respond to Israeli aggression but could also destabilize command structures critical to maintaining control over regional proxy forces.

Whether Iran can mount a meaningful counterstrike — or whether it risks triggering a wider regional war — remains uncertain. What is clear is that Operation Rising Lion has altered the balance of power in the Middle East, perhaps irreversibly.