The Iranian naval commander responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for shipping, has been killed by the Israeli military, according to sources familiar with the mission.
The nation’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Alireza Tangsiri, who served as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Navy, was taken out in an overnight airstrike, according to The Washington Post.
Israel framed the operation as a supportive move to help the United States by improving maritime traffic, thereby lowering spiking oil prices.
The Jerusalem Post also reported on the strike, writing, “Israeli sources have confirmed that the IDF was behind the strike, adding that some of Tangsiri’s top naval aides were killed in the same attack.”
“A strike killed the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Navy, Alireza Tangsiri, in Bandar Abbas, adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz, the IDF and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed,” the article explained.
Israeli defense sources said the strike took place at 3 a.m. local time.
Netanyahu reportedly issued a statement on Thursday, saying that Tangsiri had “a great deal of blood on his hands” and had “led the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”
“We continue to strike the targets of the Iranian terror regime with force,” the prime minister declared. “This is another example of the cooperation between us and our ally, the United States, in pursuit of our shared war objectives.”
Defense Minister Katz called Tangsiri “directly responsible” for the mining and blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, which was meant to disrupt global shipping.
“This is also an important development for our American partners, as it reflects the IDF’s role in helping to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” he told security officials during a situation assessment.
This news comes as reports surfaced early Thursday morning about President Donald Trump and the Pentagon weighing “final blow” options to end “Operation Epic Fury,” Axios reported.
These options included: invading or blockading Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, invading Larak, an island that helps Iran solidify its control of the Strait of Hormuz, seizing the island of Abu Musa and two smaller islands — which lie near the west entrance to the strait — and blocking or seizing ships that are exporting Iranian oil.
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