Tinotenda Hove – Iranian state television has confirmed that Admiral Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Major General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were killed in U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

The state broadcaster reported both men died in the coordinated strikes that targeted top figures in Iran’s military and security leadership.

Shamkhani, who served as a close confidant and defence adviser to Khamenei, had been a significant figure in Iran’s security structure. Pakpour led the powerful IRGC’s ground forces and played a key role in Iran’s military and regional operations.

The confirmations come amid a broader escalation in the Middle East after the U.S. and Israel launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets, reportedly aiming to weaken Tehran’s military capabilities and leadership.

Officials from Iranian judicial sources described the deaths of Shamkhani and Pakpour as “martyrdom” in the attacks.