The Israeli military said on June 17 that it killed Gen. Ali Shadmani, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as it continued airstrikes on Tehran.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei announced on the social media platform X on June 13 that he was appointing Shadmani to replace Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid, one of three top military commanders killed in Israel’s initial airstrikes.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote on X on June 17, “Ali Shadmani held the position of Chief of Staff of the War in Iran and was the highest military commander, closest to the Iranian Supreme Leader, for only four days until we eliminated him.”
Earlier, Adraee issued a warning, telling the 330,000 residents of District 3—a part of central Tehran that houses the country’s state-run TV channels, police headquarters, and three major hospitals, including one allegedly operated by the IRGC—to evacuate.
Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with a population of about 10 million people, equivalent to the entire population of Israel.
IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said on June 16, “Now we can say that we have achieved full air supremacy in the Tehran airspace.”
The vulnerability of the Iranian capital was exposed on the evening of June 16 when a live broadcast on Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic of Iran News Network was interrupted by an Israeli strike.
As the sound of explosions rang out, news anchor Sahar Emami said, “What you noticed is the sound of a clear aggression by the Zionist regime on IRIB.”
After a louder explosion rocked the studio, Emami was forced to leave.
Smoke rises after a reported Israeli strike on a building used by the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, part of Iran's state TV broadcaster in Tehran, Iran, on June 16, 2025. Stringer/Getty Images
Katz Claims Credit for TV Bombing
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz immediately claimed credit for the attack, saying on X: “The Iranian regime’s propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority was attacked by the IDF after a wide-scale evacuation of nearby residents. We will strike the Iranian dictator everywhere.”
Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote on X, “The world is watching: targeting Iran’s news agency #IRIB’s office during live broadcast is a wicked act of war crime. Israeli regime is the biggest enemy of truth and is the [No. 1] killer of #journalists and #media people.”
Baqaei called on the U.N. Security Council to stop Israel from “committing further atrocities.”
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on social media platform Truth Social on June 16: “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Trump later left the G7 summit in Canada early to return to Washington.
Later on June 17, the IDF posted on X: “A short time ago, alerts were activated in several areas of the country following the discovery of missiles launched from Iran into the territory of the State of Israel.
“At this time, the air force is working to intercept and attack wherever necessary to eliminate the threat. The defense is not hermetic, and therefore the Home Front Command’s instructions must continue to be followed.”
On June 13, Israel launched a series of air strikes on key targets in Iran, hours after the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution declaring Iran non-compliant and in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
The massive air campaign—code-named “Operation Rising Lion”—has included attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Tehran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians.
In retaliation, Iran has fired more than 370 missiles and drones toward Israeli cities, prompting widespread alerts and activation of Israel’s air defense systems. Israel said the attacks have killed 24 civilians.
An explosion during a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 15, 2025. Leo Correa/AP
The Israeli military stated that there were more incoming Iranian missiles on June 17, and explosions could be heard in northern Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he was in touch with Trump every day, said the air strikes have set Iran’s nuclear program back a “very, very long time.”
The IAEA’s board of governors held an urgent session in Vienna on June 16—at the request of Russia—to discuss the risk of radiation leaks at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, which has been bombed by Israel.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the meeting that “the level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels, indicating no external radiological impact to the population or the environment from this event.”
On June 17, the IAEA posted on X, “Based on continued analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday’s attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz.”
Hegseth: US Wants ‘Peace Deal’
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on June 16 that Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran.
“We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that’s what happens here,” Hegseth said. “Israel took an action out of self-defense. We believe that Iran, as the President has said from the beginning, should not have a nuclear weapon. That position hasn’t changed. They should give it up peacefully, that position hasn’t changed.”
White House aide Alex Pfeiffer took to X to deny reports that the United States was involved in the attacks on Iran.
He wrote: “This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed. We will defend American interests.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Chris Summers
Author
Chris Summers is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories, with a particular interest in crime, policing and the law.
