As Israel-US offensive devastates Iran’s military, can Tehran sustain long war?
Tehran is under near-constant bombardment, senior commanders are dead and regional tempers are rising just days into the fighting.
TEHRAN — Israel and the United States intensified strikes across Iran on Saturday after killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in what they described as a precision operation.
The damage to Iran's command-and-control structure has been severe. Hundreds of targets have been hit, including facilities belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), intelligence headquarters, air force assets and internal security installations. In one wave over Tehran alone, state media reported that about 50 fighter jets dropped more than 100 munitions on underground command posts.
The scale of military destruction now appears far broader than initial reports indicated. The cumulative losses within Iran’s senior command represent one of the most significant blows to the country’s military leadership since the 1979 revolution. Confirmed casualties include Armed Forces Chief Abdolrahim Mousavi, IRGC Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani.
Iranian authorities announced on Sunday that seven additional commanders were killed, including Brig. Gen. Mohammad Shirazi, who headed the supreme leader’s military office. Those killed also included Saleh Asadi, deputy intelligence chief of staff, and Mohsen Darehbaghi, deputy chief of logistics for the armed forces — positions central to battlefield coordination and weapons development.
