Iranian commander killed in Israeli airstrike oversaw Shahed drone supply to Russia
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed on June 13 that its aerospace commander, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, was killed in an Israeli air strike on a command facility, according to the Times of Israel.
Hajizadeh was sanctioned by the European Union in 2022 for overseeing Tehran’s supply of Shahed-type drones to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.
He played a key role in advancing Iran’s drone and missile capabilities, meeting with then-Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in 2023 to showcase Iranian weapons.
The Israeli operation, described as “preemptive,” involved 200 aircraft and the dropping of 330 munitions, targeting the country’s nuclear program and killing top military officials.
The full scale of the damage remains unclear.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on June 13 expressing concern over the fallout from the Israeli operation but underscored that “the Iranian regime supports Russia in its illegal war of aggression” and supplies Moscow with “weapons to kill Ukrainians."
Along with North Korea, Iran has been a key ally to Russia during its full-scale war against Ukraine, providing thousands of Shahed strike drones and short-range ballistic missiles.
Kyiv also warned of the potential global repercussions of the strike, noting that regional instability could severely impact international security and financial markets, particularly oil.
Crude prices surged more than 10% following the attack, boosting revenues for Russia, whose economy is heavily reliant on energy exports.
The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek