TEHRAN – Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, was martyred in an Israeli attack on an IRGC facility in Iran, according to an official statement released by the IRGC’s Public Relations Department.  

The attack, described as a "brutal and terrorist act," also resulted in the deaths of several other IRGC members. General Hajizadeh, a key figure in Iran’s military strategy, had led the Aerospace Force for 16 years and was credited with significantly enhancing Iran’s missile and drone capabilities.  

The IRGC condemned the strike as an act of "Zionist terror," vowing that it would only strengthen Iran’s resolve to retaliate. "This criminal act will not weaken our nation but will instead harden our determination for revenge," the statement read. 

A number of other high-ranking military officials including IRGC Chief Major General Hossein Salami, and Chief-of-staff of Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri were also martyred during Israeli airstrikes on their apartment buildings in the early hours of Friday. New officials have already been appointed to take on their roles.