From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Israel says it took out new top Iranian military commander, after killing predecessor
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A senior Iranian general who was appointed to his role after his predecessor was killed in Israel’s opening strikes on Iran was eliminated in an airstrike yesterday, the military says.
Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani had headed the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, also known as Iran’s military emergency command, for around four days.
Shadmani had replaced Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, who was killed on Friday in Israel’s opening strikes against Iran.
In view of Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid’s martyrdom at the hands of the vile Zionist regime, and in light of Major General Ali Shadmani's meritorious services & valuable experience, I confer the rank of Major Gen. & appoint him Commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya (pbuh) Central HQ. pic.twitter.com/4dTDCKx66P
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 13, 2025
The IDF says Shadmani was de facto Iran’s most senior military commander, the “war chief of staff,” and considered the closest remaining military figure to Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
“He commanded both the Revolutionary Guards and the Iranian Armed Forces,” the IDF says.
The military says that under Shadmani’s command, the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters “was responsible for managing combat operations and approving Iran’s attack plans.”
“In his various roles, he had a direct influence on Iran’s offensive plans targeting the State of Israel,” the IDF says.
The IDF says Shadmani previously served as deputy of the Khatam-al Anbiya HQ and as chief of operations in Iran’s armed forces.
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