Israeli strike kills Iranian commander linked to Hormuz closure, newspaper says

Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy who was identified by Israeli officials as a key figure behind the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, was killed on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike, according to an Israeli official cited by The Times of Israel. Israeli officials later publicly said Tangsiri had been killed, while Iran did not immediately confirm his death.

Until this article was published, the governments of Israel and Iran had not both formally confirmed Tangsiri’s death.

Tangsiri was appointed commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy in 2018, after serving as the force’s deputy commander since 2010.

An account on X attributed to him has been active since March 10, with Iranian media citing its posts. In them, he published several messages about the strait, saying that “no vessel associated with the aggressors against Iran has the right to pass through there.”

In 2019, he threatened to close the waterway if Iran’s oil exports were halted. That same year, he was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department along with other Revolutionary Guards commanders after Iran shot down a U.S. surveillance drone near the strait.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted by Iran since early March. Roughly 20% of global oil trade normally passes through the route each day, and the disruption has driven up shipping costs and put pressure on global oil prices.

The war began after a joint U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran on Feb. 28. [Não verificado] I found recent reporting confirming that date, but I could not verify the casualty figure of more than 1,340 dead, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, from a sufficiently authoritative source available in this search.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks against Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries, causing casualties and damage to energy facilities and airports.

Source: Valor Econômico

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