IDF Confirms Death of IRGC Aerospace Commander Hajizadeh in Targeted Airstrike

Amid the major escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed the elimination of Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the powerful commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force. Hajizadeh was killed in a precise overnight airstrike by Israeli fighter jets, which targeted an underground IRGC command facility where senior Iranian military leaders had gathered to plan attacks on Israel.

According to official Israeli sources, military intelligence identified the location of a high-level meeting inside a fortified subterranean command center. The gathering included the top echelon of the IRGC Aerospace Force, known for orchestrating long-range drone and missile attacks. Acting on this intelligence, the Israeli Air Force launched a precision strike on the facility, eliminating Hajizadeh along with several key figures.

Among those killed were Taher Pour, head of the IRGC’s UAV (drone) operations, and Davoud Shaykhiyan, the commander responsible for Iranian air defense systems. All three were considered central architects of Iran's recent aggression against Israel, including the October 2023 and April 2025 long-range missile and drone barrages launched directly from Iran to Israeli territory.

This same elite unit was also behind the infamous 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, which disrupted global energy markets and intensified international scrutiny of Iran’s regional ambitions.

Hajizadeh had publicly declared his commitment to the destruction of Israel on multiple occasions and was a central figure in Iran’s long-term military strategy targeting the Jewish state. His death marks a significant blow to the IRGC’s command and control infrastructure and sends a clear signal of Israel’s resolve to dismantle the leadership behind repeated missile and drone offensives.

Israeli officials hailed the strike as a critical success in disrupting imminent Iranian operations, emphasizing the country’s continued vigilance and operational capabilities in the face of ongoing threats. While Iranian state media has not officially confirmed the deaths, regional sources suggest emergency meetings are underway in Tehran.

This operation underscores the high-stakes nature of the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran, with regional and global implications.