Israel was involved in the assassination of Iran’s top commander, Qasem Soleimani, an Israeli official has confirmed for the first time. Former Israel Defense Forces intelligence chief Major General Tamir Hayman told the Malam magazine published by the Israel Intelligence and Heritage Commemoration Center, that the killing of Soleimani was one of “two significant and important assassinations” undertaken during his tenure.
Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force, was killed in January 2020 when a US drone bombed his convoy at Baghdad International Airport. Israel is thought to have provided intelligence that helped the United States discover his location in order to launch the attack. But the interview is the first time a top Israeli military officer acknowledged that Israel had a role in the operation.
“Soleimani’s assassination is an achievement, since our main enemy, in my eyes, are the Iranians,” Tamir said in the interview. Soleimani was considered one of the people closest to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.