'He was behind Hormuz blockade': Israel says it killed IRGC Navy chief Alireza Tangsiri

Israel said on Thursday it had killed the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Alireza Tangsiri, in its latest round of strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation also reflected coordination with the United States. "Last night, we eliminated the Commander of the IRGC Navy," he said in a video message.

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"This man (Alireza Tangsiri) had a great deal of blood on his hands; he was also the one who led the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This is yet another example of the cooperation between us and our friend, the United States, toward the common goal of achieving the objectives of the war."

Israel's military said it also killed Behnam Rezaei, who headed the IRGC Navy's Intelligence Directorate. According to the Israeli Defence Forces, Rezaei was responsible for intelligence gathering on regional countries and led coordination with other intelligence agencies.

Who was Alireza Tangsiri?

Tangsiri had led the IRGC Navy for eight years and previously held several senior roles within the force. Israeli officials described him as a central figure in maritime operations, including attacks on commercial shipping and efforts to disrupt navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies.

According to details released by Israel, Tangsiri was involved in strikes on oil tankers and trading vessels and played a role in operations targeting maritime routes and energy infrastructure. During what Israel referred to as Operation Roaring Lion, he led efforts aimed at closing the Strait of Hormuz and oversaw maritime operations against countries in the Middle East as well as U.S. and other international assets.

"(Tangsiri) was responsible for the strikes throughout the years toward oil containers and trading ships, and constituted a central figure that threatened the maritime navigation and trade freedom in the Strait of Hormuz and the international maritime domain," IDF said in a statement on X.

Israel also linked him to activities that disrupted global trade flows and said he had been subject to international sanctions over alleged involvement in attacks on vessels in international waters, as well as in the transfer of air defence systems and unmanned aerial vehicles to Russia and Syria.

The killing of senior IRGC naval leadership comes as tensions remain high across the region, with the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the conflict due to its role in carrying a significant share of global oil and gas shipments.