Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, has been reported dead following the joint missile strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
State-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) said Mousavi was killed alongside Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Revolutionary Guards chief Mohammad Pakpour and Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran’s defence council, during Saturday’s missile attack.
The officials were reportedly meeting as part of a defence council session when they were struck.
Mousavi was said to be among about 30 senior Iranian political and military figures targeted in the coordinated US-Israel operation.
Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, was also reported killed in the bombardment.
According to the reports, Khamenei’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law also died in the operation.
“The Supreme Leader of Iran Has Reached Martyrdom,” IRIB announced on Sunday morning.
“This great scholar and mujahid (fighter) sacrificed his life to lift Iran… and he is in the grand presence of martyrs above,” Mehr News Agency stated.
Iran later declared 40 days of national mourning for Khamenei.
The United States and Israel launched the missile strikes on Saturday, with Israel describing the action as “pre-emptive”.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation was intended to “remove threats against the State of Israel”.
He also declared a “special and permanent state of emergency” nationwide, cautioning that Iran might retaliate with drones and ballistic missiles.