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 after an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post of his killing earlier on Thursday.
Israeli defense sources have confirmed to the Post that the strike that killed Tangsiri took place early Thursday morning, at 3 a.m. local time.
The sources said that a number of Tangsiri's top naval aides were killed in the same attack.
In a video statement issued on Thursday, the prime minister said Tangsiri had "a great deal of blood on his hands" and was the person "who led the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“We continue to strike the targets of the Iranian terror regime with force," Netanyahu added. "This is another example of the cooperation between us and our ally, the United States, in pursuit of our shared war objectives."
Slain commander took increasingly aggressive stance in Gulf
Earlier, Defense Minister Israel Katz also confirmed Tangsiri's killing, calling him the official "directly responsible" for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to 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.
Tangsiri was widely seen as taking an increasingly aggressive stance in recent weeks on Iran’s actions in the Gulf, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz.
Last week, he threatened retaliation against US facilities in the region, warning civilians and workers to stay away.
"Our list of targets is updated. Oil facilities associated with America are now on par with American bases and will come under fire with full force," Tangsiri said at the time.
The US has said repeatedly that eliminating Iran's naval capabilities was a top priority. Since the war began, the US is believed to have taken out around 100 vessels used by the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and the IRGC.
Tangsiri has led the IRGC Navy since August 2018.
During his tenure, Tangsiri oversaw a major buildup of the IRGC Navy, expanding its capabilities with thousands of weapons, particularly missiles and naval mines. He directed attacks on oil tankers and commercial vessels using drones and maritime mines, while also strengthening intelligence-gathering efforts to support IRGC operations at sea.
During the current war, his role grew significantly, and he became the key figure approving most maritime attacks in southern Iran, including operations that caused damage to civilian infrastructure and US-linked targets. The IRGC Navy under his leadership also supported allied groups, especially the Houthis, with maritime intelligence and tracking of shipping in strategic waterways such as the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.