OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
10:40 AM – Thursday, March 26, 2026
Israel has announced the elimination of Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, in a targeted strike in the port city of Bandar Abbas.
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the operation, identifying Tangsiri as the high-ranking official “directly responsible” for the mining and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The IDF eliminated the commander of the IRGC Navy, the person directly responsible for the terror operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic,” Katz said during a morning assessment with military officials. “We will continue to operate in Iran with full force to achieve the objectives of the war.”
Additionally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed the announcement with a video statement, asserting that Tangsiri had “a great deal of blood on his hands,” and that his removal is a significant step toward reopening the strategic waterway.
The prime minister also framed the operation as a warning to the IRGC, saying: “The IDF will hunt you down and eliminate you one by one.”
Netanyahu released an X post written in Hebrew on Thursday, stating, “We continue to strike with full force at the targets of the Iranian terror regime.”
“Last night, we eliminated the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ navy. This man has a lot of blood on his hands, and in addition, he is the one who led the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” the Israeli PM continued. “This is another example of the cooperation between us and our friend the United States, for the common goal of achieving the objectives of the war.”
President Donald Trump, in a post to his Truth Social platform last week, clarified that the goals of the Middle Eastern conflict are as follows:
- Completely degrading Iranian missile capability.
- Destroying Iran’s Defense Industrial Base.
- Eliminating Iran’s navy and air force.
- Preventing Iran from nearing nuclear capability.
- Protecting the U.S.’s Middle Eastern allies.
The president said that these objectives are within sight, suggesting that military efforts may begin “winding down” soon.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu expressed confidence that the remaining Iranian leadership would soon be forced to negotiate a deal favorable to his administration.
He cited a significant “present” sent to the U.S. this week, which he noted was “worth a tremendous amount of money” and would serve as a major turning point in the standoff.
The U.S. and Iran had already been at an impasse through months of negotiations over a nuclear deal. While Iran has claimed repeatedly that it needs uranium for “civilian purposes,” it has reportedly enriched its uranium far more, reaching weapons-grade levels.
Trump also previously warned that Iran would face severe consequences for failing to reach an agreement, later initiating Operation Epic Fury in collaboration with Israel, prompting strikes on Tehran on February 28th.
The Strait of Hormuz is the pathway through which about a fifth of the world’s oil is exported from the Gulf area. President Donald Trump has called on countries allied with the U.S. that rely on the Strait of Hormuz to step in to protect and police it. He argues that the United States does not depend on this region for oil, as only 2.5% to 7% of its imported oil comes from it.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
