Since February 28, US-Israeli strikes on Iran have killed several senior political and military figures, hitting the core of the Islamic Republic's leadership in a war that has spread across the Middle East, disrupting energy markets and shipping routes. 3 7 Ali Shamkhani (Reuters)Ali Shamkhani, a close adviser to Khamenei and a key figure in Iran's security and nuclear policymaking, was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28. 4 7 Mohammad Pakpour (Wikipedia)Top military commandersMohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's most powerful military force, was killed in the February 28 strikes in Tehran, Iranian state media said. A career army officer and former head of the regular army (Artesh), he was responsible for coordinating Iran's military branches and overseeing conventional forces. 7 7 Gholamreza Soleimani (Wikipedia)Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran's Basij paramilitary force, was killed in US-Israeli strikes on March 17, according to Iranian state media.

Source: The Telegraph March 18, 2026 13:44 UTC