The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Sunday that an airstrike in Tehran killed Abu al-Qassem Baba’iyan, the newly appointed head of the Supreme Leader’s military office and chief of staff of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the body responsible for coordinating Iran’s wartime emergency command.
The Israeli Air Force conducted the strike Saturday using intelligence from the IDF Intelligence Directorate. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Baba’iyan’s death during a security briefing. Iranian authorities have not acknowledged the strike.
🔴ELIMINATED: Abu al-Qassem Baba’iyan, the new Head of the Military Office of the Supreme Leader and the Chief of Staff of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Baba’iyan was responsible for coordinating between the Iranian terror regime’s various force employment…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 8, 2026
According to the IDF, Baba’iyan served as the link between Iran’s military organizations and senior political leadership, coordinating operations against Israel and activating emergency response systems.
Baba’iyan assumed the position only days ago after his predecessor, Mohammad Shirazi, was killed in the February 28 opening strikes of Operation Roaring Lion, the IDF stated. The military also said Baba’iyan had previously been appointed chief of staff of the emergency headquarters after Ali Shadmani was killed during Operation Rising Lion in June 2025. This makes Baba’iyan the third official to hold the emergency command role in under a year.
IDF: ‘In the heart of Tehran: IDF eliminates the intended chief of staff of the leader of the Iranian terror regime
Yesterday, the Air Force struck with precise intelligence guidance from Military Intelligence and eliminated in Tehran Aboualkassem Babaei, head of the military…
— CGTN Europe (@CGTNEurope) March 8, 2026
The IDF characterized the strike as part of a sustained effort to dismantle Iran’s military leadership since Operation Roaring Lion began. On Sunday, the military announced it had struck more than 400 targets across Iran over the preceding 24 hours, including several F-14 fighter jets at Isfahan and the command facility for Iran’s Khayyam reconnaissance satellite, which the IDF said had been used for surveillance of Israel.
✈️ The IAF completed a wave of strikes, in which numerous munitions were dropped on 400+ military infrastructure targets including ballistic missile launchers & additional weapons production sites.
Since the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion, the IAF carried out ~190 strike… pic.twitter.com/3c85CUrDJg
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 8, 2026
