Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated on Thursday (19) that the Iranian country is ‘being decimated’; supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of attacks
The attacks by the United States and Israel, Ali Khamenei, and leaders of the political and military elite of the Islamic republic in three weeks of war. But does this mean that the regime has been “decimated”, as Israel claims?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured on Thursday (19) that Iran is “being decimated”, and the Israeli Army described it as a “collapsing house of cards”.
But several key figures, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, survived, and the Islamic republic rushed to replace those eliminated.
These are the main figures killed so far in the war triggered on February 28 by Israeli and American bombings:
The ultimate guide
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader since 1989, died on the first day of the war during an attack in Tehran, in which several of his family members also died.
His son Mojtaba was injured, according to Washington, but survived and the . So far, he has not been seen in public.
The head of the National Security Council
A is probably the greatest loss of the Islamic republic after that of Khamenei. He died on March 17 in an Israeli attack, apparently in the Tehran area, that also killed several of his relatives. Days earlier, he had participated in a pro-government demonstration in Tehran.
Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Guard
Mohammad Pakpour, former head of the Revolutionary Guards’ ground forces, has been at the head of the Islamic republic’s ideological army since June 2025, when he succeeded Hossein Salami, killed during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran.
Pakpour died on the first day of the war and was replaced by former Minister of Interior and Defense Ahmad Vahidi.
The supreme guide’s advisor
Ali Shamjani, a pillar of the armed forces since the 1980s, died on the first day of the war. He received a public funeral in Tehran.
The Minister of Intelligence
died in an Israeli attack in Tehran on March 18. He had held the position since 2021. Human rights organizations accused him of having played a key role in repressing demonstrations.
The Minister of Defense
Aziz Nasirzadeh, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, also died in an airstrike on the first day of the war.
Senior officials two Basij
Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij, a volunteer militia, died in an airstrike on March 17.
And Esmail Ahmadi, the Basij’s intelligence director, was eliminated in an attack on the night of the 16th.
Spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guard
Ali Mohammad Naini died in the early hours of Friday in what the Revolutionary Guards classify as a “cowardly” attack by the United States and Israel.
Shortly before his death was confirmed, the Fars news agency published a note citing Naini, which claimed that Iran’s missile production continued despite the war.
The head of the supreme leader’s military cabinet
Mohammad Shirazi died on the first day of the war. His job was to coordinate the different branches of the security forces in the supreme leader’s office.
Chief of Staff of the armed forces
Abdolrahim Mousavi, killed on the first day of the war, had been chief of staff of the armed forces since June 2025, following the death of his predecessor Mohammad Bagheri during the 12-day war.
*With information from AFP
