Israel claims killing of IRGC Navy commander in airstrike

2026-03-26 - 14:00

Israel’s Defense Minister announced Thursday that a senior Iranian military commander had been eliminated in an airstrike. According to Channel 12, Israel Katz stated that Alireza Tangsiri, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, was killed along with all senior command officials in the naval branch. The claim followed an Israeli official’s statement that the strike occurred in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas, where Tangsiri was reportedly responsible for overseeing operations related to the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Additional claims from Israeli military The Israeli army issued a separate statement asserting that Behnam Rezaei, director of the IRGC Navy Intelligence Directorate, was also killed in the same strike. The military alleged that Rezaei was involved in intelligence collection on regional countries. Iranian authorities have not yet responded to or confirmed the Israeli claims. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since early March, with roughly 20 million barrels of oil typically passing through daily. The disruption has driven up shipping costs and pushed global oil prices higher. Escalating conflict The reported strike comes amid a broader war that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a joint air offensive against Iran. That campaign has claimed over 1,340 lives, including Iran’s then‐supreme leader. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting American military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global aviation and energy markets. Türkiye’s urgent call for restraint As the conflict continues to escalate with high‐profile targeted killings, Türkiye has renewed its call for an immediate de‐escalation and a return to diplomacy. Ankara has warned that the targeting of senior military figures only deepens the cycle of retaliation and pushes the region closer to a full‐scale war. Turkish officials maintain that only a negotiated settlement—backed by genuine international engagement—can prevent further bloodshed and restore stability to the Middle East.