Iran says intelligence chief killed by US-Israeli strike, as Trump threatens ‘hell’ if deal not made

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced in a statement published by Iranian news outlets that their intelligence chief, Majid Khademi, has been killed.

The statement says he was killed this morning and has accused Israel and the US of targeting him.

I’ve reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and they say they’ll “look into” the report.

Khademi had replaced Mohammad Kazemi, who was also killed in an Israeli attack on 15 June 2025 during the 12-day Iran-Israel war.

Back in February, following deadly anti-government protests in January, Khademi had accused US President Donald Trump of fuelling what Iranian officials have described as a “staged murder” strategy, aimed at increasing casualties to justify foreign military intervention.

Khademi had claimed during that time that more than 10 foreign intelligence services, including Israel’s cyber warfare and intelligence unit 8200, played a role in the protests that swept across Iran. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 7,000 people were killed in the January crackdown.

More now on the death of Iran’s intelligence chief, with Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claiming responsibility for the killing of Majid Khademi.

The IDF has written on Telegram that his killing is “another severe blow” to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

When it comes to Iran acknowledging the deaths of its senior commanders in the recent war, most examples involve Iran confirming their deaths only after Israel or the US has claimed responsibility. However, this time Iran announced it earlier.

Khademi was appointed as the commander of the IRGC intelligence organisation four days after his predecessor, Mohammad Kazemi, was killed in an Israeli attack on 15 June 2025.

Back in August last year, Khademi urged parliament to prioritise the completion of a domestic intranet, saying it was needed to “safeguard the sovereignty” of Iran’s cyberspace.

Iran is currently still under an internet blackout since the war began on 28 February, although some domestic websites and apps remain accessible within the country.