Jerusalem – In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, General Hossein Salami, has reportedly been killed in an Israeli airstrike. The news was broadcast on Iran’s state television early Friday, where an anchor read a brief statement confirming the death but offering no further details.
General Salami, who was widely regarded as one of the most powerful figures in Iran’s military establishment, was central to Tehran’s regional influence and defense strategy.
Netanyahu Announces Operation ‘Rising Lion’
Following the strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation in a televised message, announcing the launch of “Operation Rising Lion,” a targeted military campaign aimed at neutralizing what he called “the existential threat” posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“In recent hours, Israel has initiated Operation Rising Lion to strike key Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities, including the Natanz complex,” Netanyahu stated. “This mission will continue until the Iranian threat to Israel’s survival is fully dismantled.”
The Prime Minister accused Iran’s leadership of pursuing nuclear genocide, citing their years-long enrichment of uranium and claims that they now possess enough weapons-grade material for up to nine nuclear bombs.
“Iran is now taking steps it never dared to take before—weaponizing enriched uranium,” Netanyahu warned. “This could lead to a nuclear-armed Iran within months, if not sooner. Israel will not allow this regime to carry out its genocidal ambitions.”
Special Emergency Declared
In response to the growing threat, Israel has declared a nationwide special emergency, placing defense forces on high alert and advising citizens to remain vigilant.
Military analysts suggest that the killing of General Salami could provoke a strong retaliatory response from Iran, potentially pulling the broader Middle East into deeper conflict.
Global Tensions Soar
The international community, already on edge from Israel’s earlier strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, is bracing for what could become a full-blown war. Diplomatic channels are being activated across the UN, EU, and major powers like the U.S., Russia, and China, as efforts to de-escalate the situation intensify.
With Iranian leaders vowing revenge and Israel signaling further strikes, the region teeters dangerously on the brink of war, raising fears of widespread instability across the Middle East.
