Defense Minister Katz: Naval Leadership Also Neutralized
Night Airstrike in Bandar Abbas; Iran Has Not Confirmed
Israeli forces appear to have killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri in a nighttime airstrike, according to international reports.
On March 26, AP and other outlets reported that Defense Minister Katz formally confirmed Tangsiri's death during a morning operational briefing with senior military leaders. Katz accused Tangsiri of personally directing operations that placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz to obstruct maritime traffic.
Katz said the strike also killed several senior IRGC naval commanders. \"We will hunt down IRGC commanders to the end and eliminate them one by one,\" he warned. \"We will continue operations inside Iran with full force to achieve our war objectives,\" Katz added.
Sources said the strike took place in Bandar Abbas, a southern Iranian port on the Strait of Hormuz. Katz said the operation signals Israel's willingness to support U.S. efforts to reopen the waterway.
Analysts say Tangsiri had led the IRGC Navy since 2018 and oversaw the development of asymmetric capabilities — fast attack craft, sea mines, anti-ship missiles and unmanned surface vessels (drone boats).
The action comes as Israel has stepped up pressure on Iran's naval forces. Last week, the Israeli Air Force struck multiple Iranian vessels in the Caspian Sea, destroying missile-armed ships and patrol craft.
