The Israel Defense Force has announced the elimination of Major General Ali Shadmani, the Commander of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian General Staff.

He was just appointed to the position two days ago by Iranian Supreme-Leader Major Ali Khamenei,

He was appointed after the assassination on Friday of the previous Commander, Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, in an Israeli strike on Tehran.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes that neutralising Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would not escalate the conflict in the Middle East but instead bring it to an end.

Netanyahu made the controversial remarks during an interview with ABC News on Monday, saying that previous U.S. concerns about targeting Iran’s leadership were misplaced.

“It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” he said, alluding to reports that the former U.S. President Donald Trump had rejected similar suggestions out of fear of provoking further instability.

The Israeli leader blamed Tehran for decades of unrest, stating, “We’ve had half a century of conflict spread by this regime that terrorises everyone in the Middle East… What Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this aggression.”

When asked if Israel would directly target Ayatollah Khamenei, Netanyahu responded cryptically, “I’m not going to get into the details, but we’ve targeted their top nuclear scientists. It’s basically Hitler’s nuclear team.”

The interview comes amid escalating violence between the two regional rivals. On Monday, Iran fired another round of missiles at northern Israel, triggering air raid sirens throughout the region.

In retaliation, Iranian state media warned of what it described as “the largest and most intense missile attack in history on Israeli soil.”

As tensions soar, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to defending its sovereignty: “We can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil. We’re doing what we need to do.”

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called on Iranians Friday to unite against what he described as an “evil and oppressive regime”, telling them Israel was engaged in “one of the greatest military operations in history”.

“The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around its flag and its historic legacy, by standing up for your freedom from the evil and oppressive regime,” Netanyahu said in a video statement after Israel struck over 200 military and nuclear sites in the Islamic republic.

“We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history, Operation Rising Lion,” he added.

“As we achieve our objective, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom,” he said, referring to Israeli strikes that hit targets across Iran, including nuclear sites, killing several top military commanders and nuclear scientists.

“The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker,” Netanyahu said in his video published shortly after a salvo of Iranian missiles reached Israel.

“Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you,” he said, adding: “This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard.”

Netanyahu also promised that “more is on the way”, having said earlier that Israel’s attack on Iran would “continue for as many days as it takes”.

Iran called the attack “a declaration of war” and threatened to retaliate by opening “the gates of hell” on Israel.

It first sent about 100 drones towards Israel, many of which were intercepted before reaching the country.

The drones were followed by dozens of missiles, some of which caused physical damage in Israeli cities, and injured at least seven people, according to first responders.

Israel launched a stunning series of strikes Friday morning on Iranian nuclear sites and killed several of the nation’s security chiefs, in a remarkable coup of intelligence and military force that decapitated Tehran’s chain of command. President Trump warned that further attacks would be “even more brutal” and redoubled pressure on Iran to reach a new deal to curb its nuclear program.

The Israeli military said that its strikes were continuing on Friday afternoon, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the assault as a last resort to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran, which Israel views as an existential threat. The attacks also killed top Iranian officials and nuclear scientists and hit Tehran’s long-range missile facilities and aerial defenses.

Footage shared by Iranian news agency WANA showed crowds of student-led protesters rallying in Tehran on Friday, calling for retaliation for the Israeli strikes on Iran.

Israel hit bases and nuclear sites in a stunning assault that went beyond past attacks on Iran. President Trump warned Tehran to agree to new limits on its nuclear program because further strikes could be “even more brutal.”

Source: New York Times