TEHRAN: Israel has confirmed that a targeted airstrike eliminated Alireza Tangsiri, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy, in a precision operation announced by Israel Katz on Thursday. Katz described Tangsiri as “directly responsible for mining operations and blocking the Strait of Hormuz” and stated that several senior naval officers were also killed in the strike.
This comes amid ongoing US-Israeli military actions against Iran, which began on February 28, targeting Iranian military infrastructure and prompting retaliatory strikes on Israel, U.S. bases, and Gulf states, including a new front in Lebanon. Recent Israeli attacks have also focused on Iranian naval assets in the Caspian Sea, including missile-equipped vessels, patrol craft, and support ships.
Despite ongoing military pressure, Abbas Araghchi reiterated that Tehran is not negotiating with directly. Speaking on state television, he said that exchanges through “friendly countries” do not constitute formal talks and that Iran seeks an end to the war “on its own terms.” Tehran has reportedly responded negatively to a 15-point U.S. plan for ending hostilities, which was conveyed via Pakistan.
Donald Trump warned that failure to comply with U.S. demands would provoke intensified strikes, stating that he is prepared to “unleash hell” if Iran does not accept a deal. Trump also claimed that Iranian leaders are interested in reaching a settlement but fear domestic reprisal or U.S. retaliation.
U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper said in a briefing that U.S. forces have struck two-thirds of Iran’s missile and drone production facilities, reducing launch rates by 90 percent, and severely damaged 92 percent of Iran’s largest naval vessels, significantly limiting Tehran’s regional naval capabilities.
Meanwhile, Iran has threatened to target strategic maritime routes, including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, if a U.S. ground invasion occurs, and continues to support the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have disrupted Red Sea shipping.
Iran’s conditions for ending hostilities reportedly include: guarantees against renewed U.S. or Israeli attacks, compensation for war damages, cessation of operations across all regional fronts, and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Nations has called the conflict “out of control,” highlighting the escalating regional crisis, while violence continues across multiple fronts in the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.
