Iran’s top Quds Force commander, Esmail Qaani, is in “good health” and continues his duties, according to statements made by the force’s deputy commander, Iraj Masjedi, on Monday. This comes after Iranian security sources informed Reuters that Qaani had been out of contact since Israeli strikes hit Beirut last week.
“He is in good health and is carrying out his activities. Some ask us to issue a statement… there is no need for this,” Masjedi told Iranian state media, responding to concerns about Qaani’s whereabouts and well-being.
One official said Qaani was in the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as Dahiyeh, during the strike, which reportedly targeted senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine. The official clarified that Qaani was not meeting with Safieddine at the time. Israel has been conducting targeted strikes on Hezbollah positions in Dahiyeh as part of its ongoing campaign against the Iran-backed group.
Qaani, appointed head of Iran’s Quds Force in 2020 after the US assassinated his predecessor, Qassem Soleimani, in a drone strike, oversees the Revolutionary Guards Corps’ overseas military and intelligence operations. The Quds Force plays a significant role in coordinating and supporting allied armed groups across the Middle East, including Hezbollah.