The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday that Esmail Ahmadi, the head of the Basij forces’ intelligence division, had been killed in an airstrike.
The announcement follows the elimination of several top Iranian officials in US-Israeli strikes since the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28. Earlier in the week, Israeli airstrikes killed Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani.
Who was Esmail Ahmadi?
Esmail Ahmadi was the head of the intelligence division of the Basij forces.
Ahmadi was a key figure in the planning and execution of attacks carried out by Basij forces, the IDF said, adding that he also oversaw the enforcement of public order and the regime’s ideological values on behalf of the IRGC and led major crackdowns during recent internal protests in Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran has warned it could attack holiday and tourist sites around the world, saying its missile program continues. Its supreme leader issued the defiant statement on Friday, nearly three weeks after US-Israeli strikes killed a number of senior Iranian officials and severely damaged the country’s weapons and energy infrastructure.
The United States is deploying three more warships and about 2,500 Marines to the Middle East, a US official told The Associated Press.
Iran launched attacks on Israel and energy facilities in neighboring Gulf Arab states during one of the holiest days of the Muslim calendar, which coincides with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which has been celebrated more subdued this year.
Given the limited information coming out of Iran, the extent of damage to its weapons, nuclear or energy facilities since the start of the conflict remains unclear, as does the country’s current leadership structure. Nevertheless, Iran has shown it is still capable of carrying out attacks that disrupt oil supplies and affect the global economy, raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei praised the steadfastness of Iranians during the ongoing war in a written statement broadcast on Iranian television on the occasion of the Persian New Year, Nowruz.
He said the US and Israeli attacks were based on the false belief that removing Iran’s top leaders would bring down the government. Mojtaba praised the Iranians for “building a nationwide defense front” and “delivering such a stunning blow that the enemy fell into contradictions and irrational statements.”
Khamenei has not appeared in public since assuming the role of supreme leader following the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Israeli strikes at the start of the war. American and Israeli officials believe the younger Khamenei may have been wounded.
(With input from agencies)
