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 indicate that several high-ranking Iranian military officials were killed in Israeli airstrikes, including Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Gen. Hossein Salami, and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh. According to the New York Times, Iranian state media confirmed the deaths of these commanders, and the Israeli military also acknowledged their involvement in the strikes. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri was identified as the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, while Gen. Hossein Salami served as the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh was noted as the head of the IRGC's Aerospace Force, overseeing Iran's missile program (BBC, CNN).
However, the claim that all three were killed in the same incident is misleading. Reports from various sources, including the Jerusalem Post, confirm the death of Amir Ali Hajizadeh but do not provide evidence that Bagheri and Salami were among those killed in the same operation. Instead, these leaders were reported to have survived the attacks, as they were not mentioned in the confirmed casualties by the Israeli military or Iranian state media.
Analysis
The assertion that all three generals were killed is based on initial reports that have since been clarified. While the deaths of Amir Ali Hajizadeh and other senior military figures were confirmed, the claims regarding Bagheri and Salami lack corroborating evidence. The New York Times and BBC articles emphasize that while Iranian officials reported casualties, the specifics of who was killed were not entirely consistent across different reports.
The reliability of the sources varies; Iranian state media may have a bias towards portraying the situation in a way that emphasizes the impact of the strikes on Iran's military leadership. On the other hand, the Israeli military's confirmation of Hajizadeh's death is more credible, as it comes from a direct military source. However, the absence of confirmation regarding Bagheri and Salami's deaths raises questions about the accuracy of the claim that all three were killed.
Conclusion
The claim that "among those killed were three of Iran’s top military leaders: Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Gen. Hossein Salami, and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh" is False. While Amir Ali Hajizadeh's death has been confirmed, there is no evidence to support that Gen. Mohammad Bagheri and Gen. Hossein Salami were killed in the same incident. Reports indicate that they survived the strikes, and the narrative surrounding their deaths appears to be a misinterpretation or exaggeration of the initial information.
