Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy and a figure overseeing efforts to block the Strait of Hormuz, was killed in an Israeli strike, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
During a security review with military officials, Katz said the IDF had eliminated the head of the IRGC’s navy, describing him as directly responsible for mining operations and obstructing maritime traffic through the strait, The Times of Israel reported.
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Tangsiri was reportedly targeted in the port city of Bandar Abbas while meeting with senior IRGC naval commanders, the report added, citing Israeli officials. Iran has not officially confirmed his death. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the operation in a video message. “Last night we eliminated the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. This individual has a lot of blood on his hands and was also responsible for closing the Strait of Hormuz.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tangsiri has played a central role in attacks on oil tankers and merchant vessels over the years and has repeatedly threatened freedom of navigation and trade through the Strait of Hormuz and wider international waters.
Who was Alireza Tangsiri?
According to The New York Times, Alireza Tangsiri served as commander of the IRGC’s naval forces and is the latest senior Iranian military official to be targeted in Israel’s monthly bombing of Iran.
He led the Islamic Republic’s efforts to close the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping, a move that caused major economic disruption around the world. The Strait, a narrow but critical maritime corridor, handles nearly 20% of global oil traffic.
Read also | World may face recession in weeks if Hormuz remains closed: Axis Bank’s Mishra
The IRGC was shut down days after the US and Israel launched an offensive in late February, a decision that unsettled global energy markets and raised concerns in many countries. The shutdown significantly increased the financial and strategic costs of the campaign for Washington and its ally Israel.
Tangsiri also oversaw the IRGC’s drone and naval cruise missile testing programs, according to the US Treasury Department, which imposed sanctions on him in 2019 and 2023. Iran’s ability to regulate movement through the strait has relied in part on the deployment of attack drones.
In addition, he chaired the board of directors of a company involved in the production and testing of naval drones for Iran. In recent weeks, Tangsiri has become a prominent and outspoken presence online. Through his X account, he shared updates on vessels denied passage through the strait, issued warnings targeting US-linked oil infrastructure and warned Washington against an attack on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub.
In 2018, Tangsiri was appointed by former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to head the IRGC Navy. He was known for his harsh statements emphasizing Iran’s dominance over the Strait of Hormuz. Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on the opening day of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran in late February.
Araghchi, Qalibaf removed from Israeli target list
The Times of Israel reported that Israel removed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf from its target list at the request of Pakistan, which suggested Washington should hold off on them as diplomatic efforts and potential peace talks continue.
