ISRAEL STRIKES TEHRAN, KILLS TOP IRANIAN GENERAL AS CONFLICT ESCALATES
Jerusalem : In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Israel’s military has confirmed the killing of Iran’s wartime Chief of Staff, General Ali Shadmani, in an airstrike targeting a high-level command center in Tehran. Shadmani, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and newly appointed head of Iran’s Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, had assumed command following his predecessor’s death in Israel’s initial wave of strikes last Friday.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported widespread disruption of digital infrastructure amid what Iranian officials have described as a full-scale cyber war initiated by Israel. Iran’s Cyber Security Command accused Tel Aviv of crippling key services across the country.
Explosions continued to rock west Tehran early Wednesday, according to IRNA, with intense fighting marking the sixth day of the spiraling conflict.
In a televised statement, Iran’s new army chief General Abdolrahim Mousavi warned that Iran’s previous retaliatory actions were only a preliminary deterrent, pledging “punitive measures soon” in what many fear could trigger broader war in the region.
Amid soaring tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” via a social media post, while the Pentagon announced the expedited deployment of the USS Nimitz carrier group to the Persian Gulf.
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate are intensifying. Egypt and Jordan have issued urgent calls for restraint. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held emergency calls with his Iranian counterpart and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, warning of “regional upheaval” if strikes continue. Jordan’s King Abdullah II, speaking to the European Parliament, cautioned that ongoing Israeli strikes on Iranian soil could provoke a much wider war.
Meanwhile, at the G7 Summit in Canada, global leaders jointly appealed for an end to hostilities across the Middle East, including a Gaza ceasefire, though they refrained from demanding a halt to Israel-Iran confrontations.
French President Emmanuel Macron disclosed that a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan is under discussion, though Iran reportedly insists on retaliatory steps before engaging in diplomatic compromise, especially regarding its nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asserting operational success, stated, “We have sent their nuclear ambitions back a very, very long time,” confirming targeted strikes on multiple Iranian nuclear sites and the elimination of several top Iranian military officials.
As global anxiety grows over the risk of all-out war, the coming days are likely to test the limits of diplomacy and military strategy across the volatile region.
