Iranian state media reports that Ali Shamkhani, the former Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday.

Shamkhani, a top advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed in his Tehran home by an (IDF) airstrike.

Shamkhani’s death represents another significant blow by Israel against Tehran’s military leadership.

Shamkhani was a leading Iranian military figure for decades, starting as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces.

The IRGC, established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, is one of Iran’s most powerful entities. It has evolved from a paramilitary, domestic security force into a transnational force aiding Tehran’s allies in the Middle East, from Lebanon to Iraq, according to the Times of Israel.

Lisa Daftari, an Iran expert and Foreign Desk Editor-in-Chief, told Digital that the elimination of Shamkhani “signifies a strategic escalation aimed at destabilizing Iran’s regime at its core.”

“This precise strike highlights a dual objective—not only targeting its nuclear ambitions but signaling an unequivocal threat to the power structure itself. Shamkhani’s close ties to Khamenei amplify the gravity of the message, casting uncertainty and fear among the political elite,” said Daftari.

She added, “The calculated nature of this move underscores an effort to fracture the regime from within, leaving no figure immune from vulnerability. This marks a chilling precedent for Iran’s leadership.”

Supreme Leader Khamenei appointed Shamkhani commander of the Artesh Navy in 1989, entrusting him with rebuilding Iran’s naval capabilities after the Iran-Iraq War, according to the United Against Nuclear Iran group.

Following the war, the Artesh Navy was disorganized and poorly equipped. Notably, the U.S. Navy significantly impacted it during Operation Praying Mantis in 1988, according to the Strauss Center, destroying nearly half of it.

Iran then focused on bolstering its naval force with patrol boats, anti-ship missiles, and fast attack craft warships.

Shamkhani advocated for Iran’s military self-sufficiency.

According to a United Against Nuclear Iran profile, Shamkhani’s rhetoric at the time mirrored the Islamic Republic’s traditional stance on the Persian Gulf, rejecting foreign warships and asserting “the capability to install missile sites” from the north to the south of the Gulf.

He served as minister of defense from August 1997 to August 2005 and led Iran’s Supreme National Security Council from 2013 to 2023.

In a rare interview, Shamkhani discussed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after the withdrawal.

When asked if he believed signing the pact was a mistake, Shamkhani said, “Yes. … I’m just following the viewpoints of my nation, the people of Iran.”

Shamkhani’s influence reportedly grew after Qassem Soleimani’s death in 2020.

Following Iran’s retaliation for Soleimani’s death, the sanctioned Shamkhani.

“The United States is targeting senior Iranian officials for their involvement and complicity in [the] ballistic missile strikes,” said Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin at the time.

Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.