IDF: killed commander of Iran’s Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps

IDF: killed commander of Iran’s Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps

IDF Announces Killing of Senior Iranian Quds Force Commander Linked to Hezbollah

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on March 3, 2026, the death of Reza Khazaei, a senior officer in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, in airstrikes on Beirut the previous day. Khazaei served as the deputy to Daoud Ali Zadeh, commander of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps, and was described as a “key actor” in enhancing Hezbollah’s military capabilities, including overseeing weapons smuggling from Iran to Lebanon and managing local arms production programs.

The IDF also announced the killing of an unnamed “senior Iranian terror regime commander” in strikes on Tehran, though no further details were immediately provided. These operations are part of an escalating conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah’s subsequent entry into the conflict prompted IDF strikes across Beirut and southern Lebanon, including Hezbollah-held infrastructure in the Dahiyeh suburbs.

According to IDF estimates, 1,000–1,500 IRGC and Iranian security personnel have been killed in strikes since the conflict intensified. The military issued evacuation warnings for southern Lebanon, urging civilians in Sidon to flee areas near targeted Hezbollah facilities. While the IDF Northern Command indicated a potential delay in a large-scale ground invasion of Lebanon pending de-escalation with Iran, continued strikes suggest sustained regional volatility.

The targeted individuals, as key coordinators between Iran and proxy groups, played critical roles in funding and logistics networks. Their removal could disrupt supply chains and financial flows critical to Hezbollah’s operations, though long-term economic impacts remain uncertain. Investors should monitor regional security developments, as prolonged conflict risks destabilizing trade routes and energy markets in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Jerusalem Post: (https://english.news.cn/20260304/e884fd3982294053a6296aa980087632/c.html): Xinhua News, Balkanweb: Balkanweb, IDF statements: IDF statements.