Double Blow for Iran: Top Commander of Imam Hussein Division Killed; Intelligence Chief Also Eliminated

Israel has dealt two major blows to Iran amidst the ongoing conflict. First, Israel killed Iran's Intelligence Chief in a targeted operation; just hours later, Israel eliminated senior commanders belonging to the Imam Hussein Division—one of Iran's premier strike forces. Israel has stated that on Sunday, acting upon intelligence provided by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), the Israeli Air Force launched a strike on the headquarters of the "Imam Hussein" Division.

The attack resulted in the deaths of the organization's Artillery Chief, Kamil Melhem, as well as other military officers.

Within Iran, the 14th Imam Hussein Division is a veteran IRGC infantry division; established in the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, it played a pivotal role during the Iran–Iraq War.

Israel alleges that Melhem directed and oversaw artillery attacks targeting the State of Israel and IDF troops. He was considered one of the division's key commanders. Melhem participated in the procurement of weapons and served in an additional capacity as Chief of Staff to the Division Commander.

Iran's Intelligence Chief Also Killed

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Monday that the Israeli Air Force had also killed Majid Khademi, the head of intelligence for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Israel Katz stated that the military would hunt down and eliminate the leaders of the Iranian leadership, one by one.

In an address delivered following a situational assessment meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and other senior military officials, Katz said, "The Iranian Revolutionary Guards fire at civilians, while we eliminate the ringleaders of terrorists."

"Iran's leaders live in constant fear that someone is pursuing them. We will continue to hunt them down and eliminate them, one by one," the Israeli minister warned.

He added that Israel would continue to launch attacks on Iran's critical infrastructure in order to undermine its economic base and missile production capabilities.

It is worth noting that Khademi had assumed the position of IRGC Intelligence Chief just a few months prior; he succeeded Mohammad Kazemi in the role. Kazemi had been killed during the conflict in June 2025.

Ceasefire Negotiations Intensify

Meanwhile, local Israeli media reported that intense diplomatic efforts were underway to negotiate a ceasefire. These efforts were initiated following a threat issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he warned that if no agreement was reached by the Tuesday deadline, he would order the bombing of Iran's critical infrastructure