In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the Israeli Defense Ministry on Thursday confirmed the elimination of Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy. Tangsiri was the strategic mastermind behind the month-long blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—the world’s most critical energy transit point. His death marks one of the most high-profile assassinations since the war began on February 28.

According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the operation took place overnight in the port city of Bandar Abbas. Tangsiri was reportedly targeted while meeting with other senior naval officers, including the IRGC’s naval intelligence chief, Behnam Rezaei, who was also killed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the operation in a televised address, stating, “The individual directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz has been eliminated. The IDF will hunt down the enemies of peace one by one.”

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, overseen by Tangsiri, had driven global oil prices to historic highs and paralyzed international shipping. By neutralizing Tangsiri, Israel has sent a clear message to Tehran regarding its ability to strike high-value targets deep inside Iranian territory. While Iranian state media has yet to officially confirm the commander’s death, the Governor’s office in Hormozgan reported several massive explosions in the area. Strategic analysts believe this loss will severely degrade Iran’s asymmetric naval capabilities and may force Tehran to reconsider US-proposed peace terms as global pressure to reopen the waterway intensifies.