Iran’s Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani killed in Israeli strike, reports say. Who was he?

Israel-Iran War: In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, Esmail Qaani, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike in Iran, according to The New York Times citing Iranian officials familiar with the developments.

The Israeli strike took place during their extensive military operation against Iranian nuclear and military targets, known as Operation Rising Lion, launched in the early hours of Friday, 13 June.

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Who Was Iran's Esmail Qaani?

Esmail Qaani took command of Iran’s Quds Force after the assassination of his predecessor, Qasem Soleimani, in a US drone strike in 2020. The Quds Force is an elite branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responsible for extraterritorial military operations and supporting proxy groups across the Middle East.

Qaani began his military career during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, leading several brigades before becoming deputy commander of the Quds Force in 1997, serving under Soleimani. Unlike Soleimani, who was often seen on the frontlines with Tehran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, Qaani has maintained a lower profile, conducting meetings privately and away from public view. His leadership has coincided with increased Israeli airstrikes against Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah and other paramilitary groups.

In October 2024, Qaani was reported missing after Israeli airstrikes targeted the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh. He had travelled to Lebanon following the death of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike in late September. The attack also targeted Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s presumed successor, who has also been unreachable since.

Qaani commanded respect from Iran’s allies, including Hezbollah, Iraqi Shi’ite militias, and the Houthis in Yemen. However, analysts note that his leadership has been less prominent, partly because he does not speak Arabic, limiting his ability to build strong relationships with Arab militias in Iraq and Lebanon.

Despite this, Qaani vowed to continue Soleimani’s mission of expelling US forces from West Asia. In a statement broadcast before Soleimani’s funeral, he declared, “We promise to continue martyr Soleimani’s path with the same force… and the only compensation for us would be to remove America from the region.”

Israeli Attacks on Iran Kills Senior Commanders

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that their attacks have targeted numerous senior Iranian commanders and key military installations. Alongside Qaani, at least nine other senior commanders and several nuclear scientists were reportedly killed.

The strikes hit multiple locations including the Natanz nuclear site, military bases, and underground command bunkers where top Iranian military leaders convened.

Among the other notable casualties were IRGC Air Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami, and Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri.

Iranian state media confirmed the deaths of several senior officials and reported extensive damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, though they denied some claims made by Israel.

The IDF stated that the strikes aimed to preempt planned Iranian attacks and severely cripple Iran’s military capabilities. The operation is ongoing, with further attacks reported near Tabriz Airport and additional nuclear sites.