Iran Vows Retaliation After Killing of IRGC Intelligence Chief
Revolutionary Guards launch “Crushing Revenge” threat following Israeli strike on Major General Majid Khademi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday vowed a major retaliatory strike following the death of its intelligence chief, Major General Majid Khademi, killed earlier in an Israeli airstrike. The Guards described the operation as part of a broader campaign, which they referred to as the “Third Imposed War.”
In a statement carried by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, the Guards condemned the strike as a “criminal terrorist attack” orchestrated by an “American-Zionist enemy.”
The statement, posted on the IRGC’s official site Sepah News, did not disclose the location of the incident or provide details of the operation that led to Khademi’s death.
The IRGC announced that Khademi had “attained the exalted grace of martyrdom” and pledged revenge under the codename Operation “Crushing Revenge.”
“The malicious and desperate enemy should know that a major retaliatory strike by the IRGC Intelligence Organization awaits the planners and perpetrators of this crime,” the statement read.
Khademi, who served for decades in intelligence and security roles, was credited by the IRGC with making “great, lasting, and instructive” contributions to Iran’s national security and efforts to counter foreign adversaries.
His death marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Iran and its regional and international opponents, highlighting the intensifying cycle of retaliatory actions in the Middle East.
The conflict — widely referred to as the 2026 Iran war — erupted on February 28, 2026, when coordinated U.S. and Israeli forces launched large‑scale strikes on Iranian territory, targeting military sites, air defenses, and infrastructure as part of Operation Epic Fury (U.S.) and Operation Lion’s Roar (Israel).
The offensive marked a dramatic escalation after months of rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional influence, and was launched amid stalled diplomatic talks.
In response, Tehran has fired waves of missiles and drones not only at Israel but also across the wider Gulf region, hitting or prompting interceptions over countries including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq.
These strikes have at times targeted U.S. military positions and critical energy infrastructure, leading to heightened air defenses, flight disruptions, and a broader regional flare‑up as Gulf states contend with the fallout from Iran’s retaliation.