Amidst rising tensions between Israel and Iran, a significant development has emerged. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) claims to have eliminated Iranian military officer Saeed Izadi in a targeted airstrike.
Israel-Iran Conflict: In the ongoing shadow war in West Asia, Israel has once again demonstrated its military strategy and intelligence capabilities by executing a highly precise and sophisticated airstrike on Iranian soil. This operation resulted in the elimination of Saeed Izadi and Behnam Shahriari, two key commanders associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force. Both officers were considered central figures in the Iran-Hamas relationship.
Saeed Izadi: A Linchpin in Hamas-Iran Relations
Saeed Izadi, head of the Quds Force's Palestinian division, was targeted in an airstrike on the outskirts of the city of Kom. The IDF asserted that Izadi was not only a primary source of financial and military aid to Hamas but also a crucial channel for strategic communication between Iran and the Hamas leadership in Gaza.
The official IDF statement declared, "Saeed Izadi, who orchestrated numerous plots to destabilize Israel in collaboration with Hamas, is no more. His elimination is a strategic victory. He was the operator of Iran's partnership with Hamas. This action is a decisive step towards weakening plots being hatched against Israel."
Behnam Shahriari: Mastermind of Arms Transit
Alongside Izadi, another senior Quds Force officer, Behnam Shahriari, was also killed in the Israeli strike. Shahriari headed an international arms smuggling unit responsible for supplying Iranian-backed terrorist organizations in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. The IDF statement explained that Shahriari's death is a result of deep intelligence surveillance and operational precision within Iranian territory.
He was part of the network supplying anti-Israel proxy groups with drones, missiles, and rocket systems. Shahriari's role was considered strategically 'invaluable' to both Hezbollah and Hamas.
Major Blow to Iran-Hamas Ties
These two high-profile killings represent a significant blow to the ongoing cooperation between Iran and Hamas. Saeed Izadi not only managed funding channels but also planned clandestine meetings, training modules, and logistical operations for weapons supply. He also strategized for the Lebanon-based Hamas wing to maintain control in Gaza.
Experts believe Izadi's death is not merely the end of an individual but a blow to an entire network that has been laying the groundwork for attacks against Israel for years.
A New Chapter in a Series of Assassinations
This attack follows previous Israeli targeting of Hamas commanders in the Gaza Strip. On June 20th, Ali Saadi Wasfi Al-Aga, the South Gaza Brigade chief of the Mujahideen Brigades, was killed in a drone strike. Al-Aga was set to succeed senior Hamas leader Asad Abu Sharifa, who was eliminated in an operation earlier this month.
Al-Aga actively participated in attacks on Israeli targets and was involved in recruiting youth into terrorist organizations. These successive actions confirm Israel's policy of pursuing a 'deterrence through dismantling' strategy. While there has been no official response from Iran yet, security sources believe this strike is a major setback for Tehran.
