The Iranian military has confirmed that the commander of the Basij paramilitary forces was killed in an Israeli attack amid the ongoing intense war situation.
On Tuesday, 17 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acknowledged that Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary forces, was killed in an Israeli attack, which they condemned as a “cowardly assassination.”
The IRGC further stated that Soleimani's assassination underscores the “importance and role of the Basij forces” in the “struggle” against the United States and Israel.
Earlier, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that their air force launched strikes on Basij targets at “more than 10 different locations” across Tehran on Monday, resulting in Soleimani's death.
The Basij is a volunteer force estimated to have about one million members, operating under the IRGC. It is often deployed to suppress dissident groups, including large anti-government protests earlier this year, which resulted in thousands of deaths.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:bbc