XMNN News: Israeli Strike Target Iran’s Top Military Brass
A wave of unconfirmed reports has emerged on social media, suggesting that Israel may have launched a targeted strike in Tehran, allegedly assassinating Iran’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, along with other high-profile figures including the Iranian President and the Ayatollah. The claims, posted by an account at 01:07 UTC on June 13, 2025 (9:07 PM EDT), have sparked widespread speculation but lack official corroboration as of this hour.
The post, accompanied by an image depicting General Bagheri in discussion with military officials, hints at a significant meeting that could have been the target of the alleged strike. The image, sourced from an Iranian news outlet, underscores Bagheri’s pivotal role overseeing both the Artesh (regular military) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as noted by the United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) organization. This potential targeting aligns with recent escalations reported by The New York Times on June 11, 2025, which indicated Israel might be preparing a preemptive strike amid rising tensions with Iran.
However, skepticism surrounds the claims. No official statements from the Iranian government, Israeli authorities, or international bodies like the United Nations have confirmed the assassinations. This contrasts sharply with the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, where the U.S. Department of Defense promptly verified the action. The absence of credible sources or evidence in the report raises questions about its reliability, with some users demanding a verifiable source.
Analysts suggest that if true, the strike could represent a strategic blow to Iran’s military hierarchy. Bagheri, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War with a Ph.D. in political geography, has been instrumental in Iran’s military strategy, including its ballistic missile program and support for proxies in Syria and Iraq, according to Wikipedia entries updated as of June 13, 2025. Yet, the fluid nature of the situation precludes peer-reviewed analysis of immediate impacts.
Reactions range from alarmist predictions of World War III to calls for Iran’s denuclearization, with some speculating about a potential return of exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi. The U.S. State Department has not commented, though its recent diplomatic efforts to deter escalation—reported in the context of the 2024 Iran-Israel conflict—suggest a tense regional backdrop.