The Israeli military on Tuesday said it had killed Iran’s top military commander, Ali Shadmani, in an overnight strike, calling him the closest figure to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a statement, the military said following “a sudden opportunity overnight, the (Israeli air force) struck a staffed command centre in the heart of Tehran and eliminated Ali Shadmani, the wartime Chief of Staff, the most senior military commander, and the closest figure to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei”.
The Israeli army said Shadmani had commanded both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian armed forces.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the US was deploying “additional capabilities” to the Middle East. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz left Southeast Asia on Monday, scrapping a planned Vietnam stop, amid reports it was heading to the region.
A White House spokesman said US forces remained in a defensive posture.
The US leader Trump has repeatedly declined to say whether the United States would support Israeli military action and has insisted Washington was not involved in the initial strikes.
After calling for talks, Trump issued an extraordinary warning on his Truth Social platform: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” He left the G7 summit in Canada a day early to return to Washington.
Later, he dismissed reports that he left to broker a ceasefire, lashing out at French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron … mistakenly said I left the G7 … to work on a ‘cease fire,'” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.. Stay Tuned!”
