From Hossein Salami to Esmail Qaani... Israeli Strike Wipes Out Iran’s Top Commanders

International News: In a move that stunned global intelligence agencies, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a high-precision assault targeting the very spine of Iran’s military and nuclear command. The victims weren’t low-ranking foot soldiers. These were not mere officers — they were the masterminds behind Iran’s most clandestine and lethal operations. Among the dead: IRGC Chief Hossein Salami, and Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani, names that echo through the halls of Tehran’s power structure.

The attack was surgical, launched via a combination of AI-guided missiles and deep-state intelligence, possibly infiltrated inside the Revolutionary Guard itself. The targets were attending a classified briefing near Tehran’s military headquarters when multiple Israeli drones and bunker-busting bombs struck in swift succession.

Iranian Power Decapitated in One Night

Iran’s immediate reaction was volcanic. Within hours, Tehran fired over 50 ballistic missiles at Israeli military zones, claiming a symbolic hit on a Mossad substation in Haifa. But the real damage was psychological. Israel hadn’t just hit infrastructure; it had shattered the myth of invincibility around Iran’s elite guard. Inside Iran, protests erupted demanding answers on how foreign forces could execute such a high-level strike with zero retaliation preparedness. Meanwhile, top clerics were forced into underground bunkers as fears of further decapitation strikes grew.

Global Fallout and Strategic Aftershocks

World capitals reacted in disbelief. While Washington called for restraint, it carefully avoided criticizing Israel’s actions. Russia and China — long-time allies of Tehran — issued stern statements, but their silence on retaliation spoke louder than words. The global powers watched, but none dared to challenge Tel Aviv directly. The Gulf nations, secretly relieved, tightened their oil shipments fearing Iranian backlash. Cyber war escalated behind the scenes. Iranian hackers crippled minor Israeli utilities while Tel Aviv retaliated by leaking classified IRGC operations to global media outlets. Diplomats scrambled, but the region seemed headed for a deeper spiral.

Mossad’s Invisible Hand and Deep Ops

Intelligence sources suggest Mossad pinpointed the high-level meeting using a deadly blend of human assets on the ground and advanced satellite geofencing — a silent, surgical net cast long before the strike. The entire mission was run under Unit 8200, Israel’s shadow cyber-arm. Reports indicate the plan was in motion for 14 months and involved coordination with at least two Arab intelligence networks. Qaani’s death leaves a dangerous vacuum — his successor is untested, radical, and known for proxy escalation in Syria and The removal of Salami strikes a devastating blow to Iran’s internal surveillance machinery — a system he tightly controlled through the vast and feared Basij militia web. Israel’s strike wasn’t just military; it was psychological warfare of the highest order. Iran’s red line — the safety of its core command — has now been breached. In retaliation, Iran may now target Israeli diplomats or intensify its nuclear timeline. The balance in West Asia has tilted, perhaps irreversibly.