Israel kills IRGC intel chief Khademi in Tehran strike
Confidence: HIGH (80/100) | April 06, 2026 | Tehran, Tehran, Iran
In one sentence: Israel killed IRGC Intelligence Organization chief Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi in a targeted overnight airstrike on Tehran, confirmed by the IDF and IRGC.
Why it matters: Khademi's death removes Iran's top military intelligence commander — the officer responsible for providing targeting assessments to the IRGC's senior leadership — during active, if indirect, ceasefire negotiations. It follows a pattern of systematic Israeli decapitation strikes on Iran's command structure since Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed on February 28. The strike lands on the same day Trump's self-imposed deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz expires, with Tehran having publicly refused to comply, making strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure a declared next step.
What Happened Today
- Israel's Air Force killed IRGC Intelligence Organization chief Major General Majid Khademi in an overnight precision airstrike on Tehran in the early hours of April 6, 2026 — confirmed by both the IDF, which said the strike was conducted 'based on precise intelligence guidance,' and by the IRGC itself in a statement carried by Iran's state-linked Fars News Agency.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly lauded the assassination and vowed that Israel 'will continue with full force' in its war against Iran, according to the Times of Israel's April 6 liveblog.
- US-Israeli strikes on April 6 killed at least 34 people across Iran, including at least six children, Al Jazeera reported, citing its conflict tracker.
- Iran's government rejected Trump's deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, condemning the ultimatum as 'incitement to war crimes,' Al Jazeera reported; Iran's foreign ministry separately said it had formulated a response to ceasefire proposals but would hold no direct talks while strikes continue.
- On the preceding day (April 5), 272 US-Israeli strikes hit 14 Iranian provinces, causing 184 casualties — most strikes concentrated on Tehran, followed by Khuzestan and Isfahan — according to Haaretz.
Contested Claims
- IRGC statement via Fars News Agency, as reported by Arab Times and Republic World.: The strike that killed Khademi was a joint US-Israeli operation. Israel Defense Forces statement, as reported by The Media Line and Trend.Az.: The strike was conducted by the Israeli Air Force acting on precise intelligence guidance; US involvement in this specific strike was not claimed.
Unverified / Single Source
- (Unverified — single source — not independently corroborated by a second outlet) Khademi had assumed his position following the earlier killing of his predecessor Mohammad Khatami in the conflict. [The Media Line]
- (Unverified — Iran has not publicly confirmed making such a request; single-source characterisation) Trump's 10-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy plants was granted 'as per Iranian Government request,' implying Tehran made a formal request to Washington. [NBC News, citing a Trump statement]
Numbers
| Metric | Today | War Total |
|---|---|---|
| People killed across Iran in US-Israeli strikes on April 6, 2026 | At least 34, including at least 6 children | — |
| Strikes conducted across Iran on April 5, 2026 (preceding day) | 272 strikes in 14 provinces, causing 184 casualties | — |
| Total killed in Iran since February 28, 2026 start of conflict | — | At least 2,076 |
| Total killed in Israel since February 28, 2026 | — | At least 24 |
| US soldiers killed in conflict | — | At least 13 |
| Killed in Gulf states since conflict began | — | At least 27 |
| US manned military aircraft lost in the Iran war | — | At least 7 |
| Sources: Haaretz, April 5-6 liveblog, CNN, April 4, 2026, Al Jazeera conflict tracker, April 6 liveblog, Al Jazeera US-Israel attacks on Iran death toll tracker |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Majid Khademi and why does his death matter? Major General Majid Khademi was the chief of the IRGC's Intelligence Organization, responsible for providing targeting assessments to Iran's senior military leadership. His killing on April 6 continues Israel's systematic elimination of IRGC command figures since Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed on February 28, degrading Iran's intelligence-to-strike pipeline.
Did the US participate in the strike that killed Khademi? Iran's IRGC attributed the killing to a joint US-Israeli operation via its official statement on Fars News Agency. The IDF claimed sole credit, describing it as an Israeli Air Force strike based on precise intelligence. The US has not independently confirmed or denied involvement in this specific strike as of April 6.
What happens now that Trump's Strait of Hormuz deadline has expired? Trump had threatened to strike Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday, April 8 (at 8 PM Eastern). Iran publicly rejected the ultimatum as 'incitement to war crimes.' NBC News reported Trump had already paused energy-plant strikes for 10 days at Iranian request, with that pause expiring April 6.
Background
The United States and Israel launched a surprise joint air campaign against Iran on February 28, 2026, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes and targeting nuclear sites, missile infrastructure, and military command nodes across the country. Iran responded with sustained missile and drone barrages against Israel, US military bases, and Gulf states, and effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly one-fifth of global oil supply. The conflict — now in its 37th day — has killed at least 2,076 people in Iran and triggered a global energy and commodities crisis, with indirect ceasefire negotiations ongoing through third-party mediators.
Sources
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- thelogicalindian.com — untitled (unknown date)
- trend.az — untitled (unknown date)
- themedialine.org — untitled (unknown date)
- arabtimesonline.com — untitled (unknown date)
- newsx.com — untitled (unknown date)
- kurdistan24.net — untitled (unknown date)
- aljazeera.com — untitled (unknown date)
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- commonslibrary.parliament.uk — untitled (unknown date)
- justsecurity.org — untitled (unknown date)