Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has confirmed that its navy commander, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, has died from wounds sustained in an Israeli strike, a blow to the upper ranks of the force at a moment of heightened regional tension.

In a statement carried by state media, the Guards said Tangsiri “succumbed to severe injuries” after an attack that targeted him while he was overseeing coastal defence operations. The IRGC hailed him as a veteran commander and vowed that his death would be avenged, declaring that it “will not rest until the enemy is completely destroyed”.

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, paid tribute in a message of condolence, calling Tangsiri “a soldier of Iran and guardian of Islam”. The remarks underscored the commander’s prominence within the security establishment and the symbolic weight of his loss for the leadership in Tehran.

Tangsiri’s funeral is to be held in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, home to major naval facilities and overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint through which a significant share of the world’s seaborne oil exports passes. His final procession there is likely to draw senior political and military figures and serve as a platform for renewed vows of resistance.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz publicly confirmed responsibility for the strike, describing Tangsiri as “the man who was directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz”. Israel has long accused the IRGC Navy of orchestrating attacks and harassment against commercial shipping in the Gulf, charges Iran denies or frames as defensive actions.

The Strait of Hormuz has already seen restricted traffic amid the broader conflict, feeding volatility in global energy markets. Analysts say the killing of the officer who personified Iran’s strategy of using the waterway as leverage could further unsettle maritime security and raise the risk of miscalculation.

Tangsiri, who fought in the Iran Iraq war, had led the IRGC Navy since 2018 and was central to developing its doctrine of asymmetric warfare at sea, including the use of fast attack craft, mines and drones. He had repeatedly warned that Iran could close the Strait in response to external aggression and promised “the harshest blows” against any attacker.

His death adds to a growing list of senior Iranian figures killed since the conflict began, deepening a cycle of retaliation that shows little sign of easing.