 "Who was Ali Shadmani? Who are Iran's other top military officials killed by Israel?")
Israel on Friday launched airstrikes on top military and nuclear facilities in Iran in an attempt to take out their nuclear programme and top military officials.
Now, five days later, the Israel-Iran conflict seems to be continuing apace with the two sides continuing to attack each other.
Iran, meanwhile, has lost several high-ranking officials including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami and Ali Shadmani, Iran’s wartime Chief of Staff during Israel’s Operation Rising Lion.
But what do we know about Iran’s top commanders and powerful men killed by Israel?
Let’s take a closer look
Ali Shadmani
Shadmani was a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and chief of staff of the armed forces.
Shadmani’s death is a severe blow to the regime – given the fact that he was the country’s highest-ranking military official and a trusted advisor of Khamenei.
For the second time in 5 days— the IDF has eliminated Iran’s War-Time Chief of Staff, the regime’s top military commander," the IDF wrote in an X post.
“Ali Shadmani, Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor, was killed in an IDF strike in central Tehran , following precise intelligence," the Israeli military added.
Shadmani was appointed to the chief of staff position after the death of Mohammad Bagheri on Friday.
He had been Iran’s top national security official from 2013 to 2023.
Shadmani previously worked in the IRGC.
He was part of the team that reached the historic deal to restore Iran’s relations with Saudi Arabia.
He was also part of the team that was negotiating with the United States regarding a nuclear deal with Iran.
Shadmani was well known in Europe and Washington.
He was considered a rising star in Iranian diplomatic circles.
Mohammad Bagheri
Bagheri was Iran’s previous chief of staff of the armed forces.
He was killed on Friday during the very first airstrikes that Israel launched on Iran.
Bagheri was born Mohammad-Hossein Afshordi in Tehran in either 1958 or 1960.
Bagheri had been Iran’s chief of staff of the armed forces since 2016.
He was previously the deputy chief of staff for intelligence and operations in the General Staff.
As per the US treasury department, Bagheri was among the nine close aides of Khamenei sanctioned in 2019 for “oppressing the Iranian people, exporting terrorism, and advanced destabilising policies around the world”.
Bagheri was responsible for organising Iran’s armed forces as well as formulating a doctrine for the regime.
Gholamali Rashid
Rashid was deputy commander-in-chief of Iran’s armed forces.
He was also chief of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters – which handles joint military operations.
Rashid served in the Iraq-Iran war.
Amirali Hajizadeh
Hajizadeh was chief of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force.
He was also in charge of Iran’s missile program.
He led Iran’s April 2024 missile attack on Israel as well as an attack on a us base in 2020.
Mohammad Kazemi
Kazemi was chief of intelligence of the IRGC.
Kazemi’s deputy, Hassan Mohaghegh, and Mohsen Baqeri, another senior IRGC figure, were also killed in the attack on Sunday.
Hossein Salami
Salami was the chief of the IRCG – a position he had held since 2019.
Salami was considered one of the most powerful men in Iran, only after Khamenei himself – to whom he reported directly.
Salami, born in 1960, was also extremely close to Khamenei.
He served in the Iran-Iraq war and was previously deputy chief of the IRCG.
“With hearts filled with sorrow and grief, we mourn the unjust martyrdom of the loyal and steadfast commander, Major-General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the IRGC said on Friday.
A CNN analyst likened had Salami’s position in Iran to that of the US chairman of the joint chiefs.
With inputs from agencies
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
