Dubai: Israel said Tuesday it had killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ all-volunteer Basij force, a key force used to suppress demonstrations in the Islamic Republic.
The Israeli military said a strike Monday killed Gholamreza Soleimani.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge Soleimani’s killing.
The Basij forces are part of the armed apparatus of the Iranian terror regime, the Israeli military said in its statement.
During internal protests in Iran, particularly in recent periods as demonstrations intensified, Basij forces under Soleimani’s command led the main repression operations, employing severe violence, widespread arrests and the use of force against civilian demonstrators.