IDF confirms killing of IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri and Intelligence Chief Behnam Rezaei

Europe-Asia, International, Middle East, North America, Politics

MIDDLE EAST (NPA) — 26 March 2026 — The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have officially announced the killing of Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.

In a statement, the IDF noted that Tangsiri had served in the role for the past eight years, following earlier senior positions within the IRGC Navy, including overseeing what Israel described as the regime’s terror activities.

The IDF accused him of responsibility for repeated strikes against oil tankers and trading vessels, portraying him as a central figure who posed a threat to maritime navigation and freedom of trade in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider international maritime domain.

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According to the statement, during Operation Roaring Lion, Tangsiri directed efforts to close the Strait of Hormuz and oversaw maritime attacks against countries in the Middle East, as well as against U.S. and allied energy infrastructure.

The IDF added that he was directly implicated in disrupting the global economy and had been subject to numerous international sanctions due to his involvement in attacks on vessels in international waters, as well as in the transfer of air defence systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia and Syria.

The statement further revealed that another senior Iranian military official was killed alongside Tangsiri — Behnam Rezaei, Head of the IRGC Navy Intelligence Directorate. Rezaei was said to have been responsible for intelligence collection on regional countries and for leading cooperation with various intelligence organisations.