Israel-Iran conflict: IRGC's missile unit commander Abu Dharr Mohammadi killed, claims IDF

According to reports, the Israeli Defense Forces killed Abu Dharr Mohammadi, the operations commander of the IRGC's missile unit embedded with Hezbollah in Beirut. Mohammadi played a significant role in organizing military operations and strategic planning and was regarded as a crucial liaison between Hezbollah and the Iranian government.

In the wake of Operation Northern Arrows, he played a crucial role in the reconstruction and fortification of Hezbollah's missile program.

Additional information regarding the operation and its circumstances has not yet been formally verified. Regional security analysts say the development could have significant implications for Hezbollah’s military capabilities and the broader Iran-aligned network operating in the Middle East.

The Israeli military claims that the "Taleghan" compound was used by Iran in the past to develop nuclear weapons-related capabilities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have carried out a strike on the facility.

The IDF claimed in an X statement that the compound had been connected to the clandestine "AMAD" project, which Western intelligence services have long claimed was intended to produce nuclear weapons in the early 2000s. The Israeli military claims that the location was used to create sophisticated explosives and carry out delicate experiments related to the study of nuclear weapons.

As the ongoing conflict with Iran showed no signs of abating, drone strikes and missile attacks persisted throughout parts of the Middle East on Thursday. Up to 3.2 million people have already been displaced inside Iran due to the conflict, according to the United Nations refugee agency, with the majority of civilians escaping large cities in quest of safety.

The UN agency claims that many of the displaced have fled Tehran, the capital, and other cities in favor of rural or northern areas where they intend to avoid the most intense fighting.

Concerns about potential foreign military action have prompted Iranian political leaders to intensify their rhetoric. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, issued a warning on Thursday that any attempt to invade Persian Gulf islands under Iranian control would result in a violent retaliation. He claimed that doing so would "make the Persian Gulf run with the blood of invaders."

Israel issued a severe warning about the situation along its northern border in other parts of the region. If Hezbollah's attacks continue, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant threatened to "take Lebanese territory." The alert follows a string of cross-border interactions that have sparked concerns about a more extensive regional conflict.