Iran on Monday confirmed that an Israeli airstrike last week killed Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ naval forces. Israel had previously identified Tangsiri as responsible for blocking the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

A statement on the Guards’ Sepah News website said Tangsiri “succumbed to severe injuries” sustained in the attack. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been largely absent from public view since assuming the role following his father’s killing in late February, extended condolences via Telegram, praising Tangsiri as “a soldier of Iran and guardian of Islam.” His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in the port city of Bandar Abbas.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strike targeted Tangsiri and other senior naval officers, calling him “directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz.” The conflict, now in its second month, has severely restricted traffic through the waterway, contributing to rising global energy prices.

The Guards’ statement emphasized that Tangsiri had been coordinating coastal defenses when he was killed and vowed that Iran “will not rest until the enemy is completely destroyed.”

Tangsiri, a veteran of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, had led the Guards’ naval branch since 2018. Under his leadership, the force strengthened its capabilities and claimed responsibility for seizing numerous foreign vessels. He was sanctioned by the United States in 2019 for counter-terrorism reasons.

While Israel and the U.S. claim these strikes have dealt major blows to Iran’s leadership, analysts say the Islamic Republic remains resilient, demonstrating an ability to recover from losses.