Fact Check: "Among those killed were three of Iran’s top military leaders: Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Gen. Hossein Salami, and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh."
What We Know
Recent reports confirm that several high-ranking Iranian military officials were killed in Israeli airstrikes. Among the deceased are Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Gen. Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who leads the IRGC's aerospace forces. The Iranian state media has reported these deaths following the attacks, which targeted military and nuclear facilities across Iran (Washington Post, BBC, CNN).
Gen. Bagheri had been in his position since 2016, focusing on enhancing Iran's military capabilities, including missile development and cyber warfare (Washington Post). Gen. Salami, who took command of the IRGC in 2019, was known for his hardline stance against Israel and the U.S. (BBC). Gen. Hajizadeh had been leading the aerospace division for 16 years and was involved in various military operations, including drone attacks against Israel (Washington Post).
Analysis
The claim that the three generals were among those killed in the Israeli strikes is supported by multiple credible sources, including major news outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post, and BBC. These sources have reported the deaths based on information from Iranian state media and other reliable channels.
The context of the strikes is also significant; they were part of a broader military operation by Israel targeting Iranian military infrastructure, which has been a point of contention in the region. The credibility of the reports is bolstered by the fact that they come from established news organizations with a history of accurate reporting on Middle Eastern affairs.
While Iranian state media may have a bias in framing the narrative, the corroboration from independent sources lends weight to the accuracy of the claim regarding the deaths of these military leaders.
Conclusion
The claim that among those killed were Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Gen. Hossein Salami, and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh is True. Multiple credible sources confirm their deaths in the recent Israeli airstrikes, and the context surrounding these events supports the reliability of the information.
