Israeli Army Chief Gen. Eyal Zamir Claims 40 Iranian Leaders Killed, Including Khamenei, as War Reshapes Regional Balance

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, said Israeli forces eliminated forty Iranian leaders within hours at the start of the military campaign known as “Operation Lion’s Roar,” including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom he accused of pursuing the destruction of Israel.

In his first press statement since the beginning of the operation, Zamir outlined the scale of Israel’s military actions against Iran and the broader regional confrontation.

“We eliminated forty Iranian leaders within hours, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had set the destruction of the State of Israel as a central objective,” Zamir said.

He stated that Israeli forces had inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s military infrastructure during the first phase of the campaign.

“Within twenty-four hours, we destroyed eighty percent of Iran’s air defense systems and eliminated sixty percent of its missile capabilities so far,” he said.

Zamir also emphasized the unprecedented level of military coordination between Israel and the United States during the operation.

“We are working in unprecedented coordination with the US military to strip the Iranian regime of its military capabilities and make it strategically isolated. We have other means that I will not reveal at this time,” he added.

Addressing developments on Israel’s northern front, Zamir sharply criticized Hezbollah, saying the group had made a major strategic mistake.

“Hezbollah committed a grave strategic error at the expense of Lebanese citizens, and it is paying a heavy price for that mistake,” he said.

He stressed that Israel would continue pursuing its security objectives in the region.

“There will be no new equations. We will not abandon our goal of disarming Hezbollah and ensuring security for residents of northern Israel,” Zamir said.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that Tehran has begun preparations to appoint a new supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to the reports, the fourth meeting of Iran’s temporary leadership council, chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian, was held as part of constitutional procedures to fill the country’s highest authority position.

The meeting discussed legal and religious procedures required for the process, and the council finalized preparations for convening the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for selecting and appointing a new supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.

On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that the procedures for choosing the next supreme leader had entered their final stage and that the outcome could soon be announced publicly.

The developments come after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on Saturday, February 28, 2026, which resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader and several other senior figures.

Iran quickly responded to the attacks by launching a number of missiles toward Israel and targeting several US military bases and facilities across countries in the region.

Zamir’s remarks highlight the scale of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran as regional tensions continue to intensify following the launch of the US-Israeli strikes.