Israel Kills IRGC Navy Chief in Strike on Bandar Abbas

Israel has killed Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, and senior naval command officials in a targeted strike on Bandar Abbas. The operation aimed to disrupt the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.

The strike was executed based on American and Israeli intelligence, marking another escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel, the U.S., and Iran. According to a senior Israeli official cited by Fox News, Tangsiri directly commanded the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Tangsiri's death comes amid heightened tensions following the start of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran in late February. Since then, Israel has targeted several top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and security chief Ali Larijani. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a significant disruption to global energy supplies, with daily traffic down about 95%, as reported by BBC.

Tangsiri was appointed commander of Iran's Navy in 2018 and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2019 for his role in testing cruise missiles and developing armed drones. The IRGC Navy intelligence directorate head, Behnam Rezaei, was also killed in the strike.

U.S. Central Command described Tangsiri's death as making 'the region safer' and called on serving members of the IRGC to abandon their posts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the cooperation between Israel and the U.S., stating that the strike was part of achieving the objectives of the war.

Meanwhile, Houthis threaten to close another key shipping route, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. If both routes are compromised, it would significantly impact global supply chains and energy markets. The Houthi rebel group has previously attacked over 100 merchant vessels between 2023 and 2025.