WEBDESK: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed a new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) air force following the death of the previous commander in an Israeli airstrike.
In an official decree, Khamenei named Majid Mousavi as the new aerospace chief, replacing Amirali Hajizadeh, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency.
The appointment comes in the wake of heightened tensions between Iran and Israel. On Friday, Israel launched a large-scale airstrike targeting Iranian nuclear sites and missile bases. The attack reportedly resulted in the deaths of senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, including Hajizadeh.
Later the same evening, Iran retaliated with a series of missile and drone attacks on Israel, escalating fears of a broader regional conflict. The exchange marks one of the most direct and deadly confrontations between the two longtime rivals in recent years.
Earlier Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named Major General Mohammad Pakpour as the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to a report by Tasnim news agency.
This appointment comes after martydom of Hossein Salami, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes along with several other senior military officials as a result of unprovoked Israeli attacks.
Senior Iranian military officials have warned that attacks against Israel will continue, according to reports from Iranian state media.
“This confrontation will not end with last night’s limited actions and Iran’s strikes will continue, and this action will be very painful and regrettable for the aggressors,” Fars news agency quoted an unnamed official as saying.
Pakistan has strongly condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iran, calling them unjustified and illegal during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting. Representing Pakistan, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad on Saturday demanded urgent action from the international body to halt further aggression and maintain peace in the region.
