IRGC confirms death of aerospace chief Hajizadeh in Israeli strike UPDATED

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed that its Aerospace Force Commander, Major General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, was killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted the force’s command centre on June 13.

In an statement, the IRGC announced that “Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Aerospace Force Major General Amirali Hajizadeh... along with a group of brave and dedicated fighters of this force, were martyred,” Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Hajizadeh was widely regarded as a key figure behind Iran’s military strategy. He masterminded Iran’s missile and drone assault on Israel in April 2024, and was also behind the 2020 missile attack on a US military base in Iraq.

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The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on June 13 that Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, was killed in an overnight airstrike targeting an underground command center in Iran.

In a statement, the Israeli military said its fighter jets struck overnight an underground headquarters with Hajizadeh and two other senior officials, Caliber.Az reports.

Two other senior IRGC Air Force officials, Commander of the UAV Force, Taher-pour, and Commander of Aerial Operations, Davoud Shaykhian, were also reportedly killed in the strike.

The Israeli military said the targeted IRGC commanders were responsible for orchestrating multiple attacks against Israel, including the missile and drone strikes in October 2024 and April 2024. The IDF also attributed to them the 2019 drone assault on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure.

Hajizadeh had long been a prominent figure in Iran’s military hierarchy and a vocal proponent of Tehran's anti-Israel stance. The IDF described him as a central architect of Iran’s missile and drone programs and its broader strategic efforts against Israel.

Iran has not acknowledged their killing as of now.

By Sabina Mammadli