The Israeli military announced it has “eliminated” Behnam Shahriyari, marking the second Iranian Quds Force commander targeted in overnight airstrikes. According to a statement released Saturday by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shahriyari was killed by an Israeli Air Force strike on his vehicle while traveling through western Iran.
The IDF stated that Shahriyari played a key role in transferring weapons from Iran to its regional proxies and had spent years arming various militant groups. He is currently under U.S. sanctions, and the UK government has linked him to hostile activities by Iranian-backed armed groups, citing his involvement in destabilizing countries including Israel, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon.
The Quds Force, a branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), manages operations beyond Iran’s borders and maintains relationships with groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
Earlier the same day, Israel also confirmed the killing of Saeed Izadi, another senior Quds Force commander.
In a briefing, IDF Chief Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari described both Shahriyari and Izadi as central figures in Iran’s efforts to expand its military influence into Israeli territory.
He also noted that Israeli airstrikes continued against a nuclear site in Isfahan and warned the public to brace for a “prolonged campaign.” Hagari emphasized that Israel is currently engaged in “one of the most complex wars in its history,” and the military still has multiple strategic targets remaining in Iran.
