Israel said on Thursday that it has killed the head of the naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in a strike it says targeted a key figure behind the disruption of global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the commander, Alireza Tangsiri, was “directly responsible” for operations to mine and block the strategic waterway, a chokepoint for global energy supplies.
According to the Israeli military, Tangrisi was struck during a meeting of senior IRGC commanders in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.
Katz framed the killing as a warning to the IRGC, which is a branch of Iran’s armed forces devoted to protecting the regime.
“The [Israeli Defense Forces] will hunt you down and eliminate you one by one,” he said.
The strike comes amid escalating conflict following the launch of joint US-Israeli military action against Iran on Feb. 28.
In response, Tehran moved to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, attacking commercial vessels and effectively halting a major share of global oil transit.
At least 22 ships have been hit since the start of the campaign, while roughly 3,200 vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, unwilling to risk passage.
The blockade has rattled global markets, as nearly 35 percent of the world’s crude oil and about 20 percent of liquefied natural gas flows through the narrow corridor.
Washington had issued an ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the route. On March 25, Tehran said it would allow “non-hostile” vessels to pass – though the situation remains volatile.