Conflicting reports emerge after US-Israel strikes across Iran

12:46

By: Dakir Madiha

Conflicting reports emerge after US-Israel strikes across Iran

Overnight explosions across Iran have triggered conflicting accounts about the fate of the country’s senior leadership after coordinated US-Israel strikes hit military and government targets. Israeli media said the operation sought to dismantle Iran’s command structure, while Tehran denied that any top officials were killed.

Israeli broadcaster N12 reported that several senior commanders, including Revolutionary Guard chief Mohammad Pakpour and Army Chief Amir Hatami, died in precision strikes on command centers in Tehran and other major cities. The Times of Israel quoted officials describing the operation as highly successful, saying it eliminated figures linked to recent regional escalation. Reuters cited unnamed sources who said senior officers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed but did not confirm identities.

Iranian state outlets rejected the claims. IRNA, ISNA and Tasnim reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf were unharmed. Fars News said all senior officials remained alive and dismissed Israeli reports of fatalities. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not appeared in public since the strikes, though domestic media indicated he had been moved to a secure location before the attacks.

The strikes followed President Donald Trump’s announcement of major combat operations against Iran, marking the sharpest escalation since the June 2025 conflict. Targets reportedly included nuclear facilities, military bases and government compounds in Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the action was intended to neutralize threats from Tehran.

Independent confirmation remains limited. The extent of the damage and the impact on Iran’s political and military leadership have not been verified.