Iran’s Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini was killed in joint US and Israeli strikes, Iranian state media reported on Friday. His death came hours after he issued a defiant warning challenging US naval claims in the Gulf.Naini “was martyred in the criminal cowardly terrorist attack by the American-Zionist side at dawn”, the IRGC said in a statement, as quoted by news agency AFP
The brigadier-general had openly mocked Donald Trump’s assertion that Iran’s navy had been destroyed, daring Washington to deploy ships into the Persian Gulf. He had also insisted Iran continued producing missiles despite ongoing strikes.“Didn’t Trump say that Iran’s navy has been destroyed? If so, let him send his ships into the Persian Gulf if he dares,” Naini was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“Our missile industry deserves a perfect score… and there is no concern in this regard, because even under wartime conditions we continue missile production,” Guards spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini said, quoted by the Fars news agency.The developments follow a series of US–Israeli strikes that have eliminated several senior Iranian figures since the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February. On Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed the killing of Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib in Tehran, alleging his involvement in suppressing the 2022–23 Mahsa Amini protests and directing operations abroad. Earlier this week, security chief Ali Larijani and Basij leader Gholamreza Soleimani were also killed. President Pezeshkian condemned the deaths, vowing resilience. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted Iran’s political system remains robust, stating that despite leadership losses, its institutional structure continues to function effectively.Tensions have escalated further after Israel targeted Iran’s South Pars gas field, prompting retaliatory strikes and raising fears of a broader energy crisis. Oil prices surged sharply amid concerns over supply disruptions, particularly through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments.A Kuwaiti oil refinery was struck by Iranian drones early on Friday, while sirens across Israel warned of incoming fire. At the same time, Israeli strikes triggered explosions over Tehran as the country marked the Persian New Year.
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As the conflict, now approaching its third week, continues to unsettle the global economy, Iran has maintained pressure on Gulf energy infrastructure. Kuwait reported that two waves of drone attacks hit the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, igniting a fire that emergency crews were working to contain. The facility, capable of processing around 730,000 barrels of oil daily, had already sustained damage in a previous strike.Elsewhere, air defences in Dubai intercepted incoming projectiles, with loud blasts heard across the city during Eid al-Fitr celebrations. In Bahrain, debris from an intercepted missile caused a warehouse fire, while Saudi Arabia said it had downed several drones aimed at its Eastern Province.
