In addition to striking nuclear and military infrastructure, Israel has conducted a decapitation campaign targeting Iranian military leadership. Israeli strikes have killed the following individuals as well as several other military officials and prominent nuclear scientists:
Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) Chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri
Khatam ol Anbia Central Headquarters Commander Major General Gholam Ali Rashid
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Major General Hossein Salami
IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajji Zadeh
Former Supreme National Security Council Secretary Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani[12]
These individuals have been highly influential voices in the Iranian military establishment for decades. They played pivotal roles in Iranian strategy across the Middle East, especially as it grew more aggressive after around 2014-16.[13] The AFGS is the seniormost Iranian military body and is responsible for military policy and strategic guidance. The Khatam ol Anbia Central Headquarters is the highest Iranian operational headquarters and is thus responsible for joint and wartime operations, performing a role similar to a US combatant command. The sudden loss of these individuals appears to have caused significant disruption within the Iranian military decision-making network, which may have contributed to the lack of a meaningful Iranian response so far.
This disruption is temporary, however, as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has already appointed these individuals’ successors. Khamenei appointed Major General Abdol Rahim Mousavi as AFGS chief, Major General Ali Shadmani as Khatam ol Anbia Central Headquarters commander, and Major General Mohammad Pak Pour as IRGC commander.[14] It is unclear who replaced Hajji Zadeh or has filled the positions that these individuals previously held. CTP-ISW will provide further information on these individuals in the following updates.
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Iran Update Special Edition: Israeli Strikes on Iran, June 13, 2025 2:00 PM ET
Israel launched an air campaign targeting the Iranian nuclear program and regime leadership on June 12 to “degrade, destroy, and remove [the] threat” of Iranian weaponization of its nuclear program. The June 12 to 13 strikes are the opening volley in a weekslong air campaign, according to multiple Israeli officials. It will be difficult to assess the success or failure of the Israeli air campaign based on these objectives in this early stage.
Israel's strikes intended to impose discrete military effects on Iran that made it difficult for Iran to respond quickly. These effects included the suppression of Iranian air defenses, the degradation of Iran's ability to retaliate against Israel, and the disruption of Iranian command and control. Israel's ability to generate at least some of these effects has contributed to Israel's immediate success and set conditions for Israel to continue and expand the campaign as needed.
Iran Update Special Report, June 14, 2025, Morning Edition
Iran has used significantly fewer munitions in its response to Israel than originally planned because the IDF destroyed and damaged missile launchers and silos that Iran planned to use to retaliate against Israel. This is consistent with CTP-ISW’s observation that degrading Iran’s retaliatory capabilities was one objective of the initial Israeli strikes on June 12.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has continued to strike Iranian air defense systems to maintain air superiority over Iran.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed Brigadier General Majid Mousavi to replace Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajji Zadeh as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force commander. The IRGC Aerospace Force oversees the Iranian missile and drone programs and led the Iranian attacks against Israel in April and October 2024.
Iran has conducted six waves of ballistic missile attacks targeting Israel from Iranian territory since the initial Israeli strikes on June 12. At least 10 interceptors, shrapnel, or ballistic missiles struck the Tel Aviv area, causing damage to high-rise buildings, over 60 injuries, and one death.
The IDF has reportedly continued to target Iranian military targets. Some of these strikes—but not all—seek to degrade Iran’s retaliatory capabilities.
Iran Update Special Report, June 14, 2025, Evening Edition
Cutoff: 6:00 PM ET
The Israeli air campaign is driving generational turnover in Iranian military leadership.[1] Israeli strikes have killed numerous senior military officers so far. These individuals, such as Mohammad Bagheri and Amir Ali Hajji Zadeh, had occupied some of the highest positions in the Iranian armed forces for years and, in some cases, decades.[2] Many of these officers had close personal bonds to one another, having forged brotherly ties in their youth during the Iran-Iraq War and maintained those relationships as they rose together through military ranks in the following decades. These relationships created an informal influence network at the highest echelons of the Iranian military establishment. These officers were extremely influential in shaping Iranian strategy due to their positions at the top of the military hierarchy and their immediate access to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. These officers intervened in Iranian domestic affairs on several occasions to assert their shared political preferences and see the regime through internal crises. CTP-ISW identified this network in a 2013 report, labeling it the IRGC Command Network.[3] That Israel has killed so many members within and in the orbit of the Command Network in recent days means that Israel has not only removed a key leadership cadre—it has also degraded one of the most stable and influential factions in the Islamic Republic. The Command Network has been an enduring presence in Iranian decision-making circles for decades—one of the few factions to remain so dominant other than Khamenei himself. It is too soon to assess what implications the dismantlement of the Command Network will have on Iranian behavior and strategy.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appointed Major General Amir Hatami as the overall Artesh commander. Hatami is notably a vocal proponent of Iran’s “active deterrence” doctrine, which has underpinned the offensive strategy that Iran has had since 2014-16.
The IDF has continued to target Iranian military targets across Iran, likely to degrade Iran’s retaliatory capabilities.
This update contains early battle damage assessments (BDA) of several Iranian facilities, including Natanz, Esfahan Nuclear Technology Center, and several military bases.
Two US officials said Israeli strikes at Natanz were “extremely effective,” but a senior Israeli official added that the damage is not yet “fatal.”
Israel struck the Artesh Air Force 2nd Tactical Airbase (TAB) in Tabriz on the night of June 12 to 13, as CTP-ISW previously reported. The strikes destroyed several buildings north of Artesh Air Force aircraft hangars and cratered the approaches from the hangars to the runway.
Israel may have destroyed a likely aircraft hangar and a radar at Hamedan Air Force Base (43km north of Hamedan) on the night of June 12 to 13.
Israel struck several buildings at the Amand Missile Base that likely stored ballistic missiles.
Israel struck the Bakhtaran (Panj Pelleh) underground missile base in Kermanshah on June 13.
Israel expanded its ongoing strike campaign against Iran on June 14 by targeting critical energy infrastructure. This expansion marks new Israeli efforts to degrade Iran’s capacity to sustain its military and nuclear program.
CTP-ISW is monitoring reports that the IDF struck the Shahran oil depot on the northwestern outskirts of Tehran on June 14.
Iran may respond to the Israeli escalation by threatening international maritime security.
Iranian officials said that Iran will not return to US-Iran nuclear negotiations until Israel halts its attacks on Iran and Iran has finished its retaliatory attacks on Israel.
Some of Iran’s partners and proxies in the Axis of Resistance have so far failed to meaningfully intervene and impose costs on Israel for targeting Iran so far.
Iran has launched seven waves of ballistic missile attacks targeting Israel from Iranian territory since initial Israeli strikes on June 12.
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