Hunt Down Iranian Commanders Wherever They Flee, Says IDF's Intel Chief

The head of Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, has called for relentless action against Iran’s military commanders, urging Israeli forces to “hunt them down wherever they flee.” Speaking to troops at a command center, Binder highlighted recent strikes that eliminated key Iranian figures.

A High-Stakes Operation

Binder revealed details of a recent operation that targeted Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, described as Iran’s most senior military commander. “Two days ago, we managed to strike one of their secret headquarters in the mountains. Some of the commanders managed to escape to another location. Twelve hours later, we struck the chief of staff of Khatam al-Anbiya, who had fled to another mountainous area near Tehran,” Binder told his soldiers. The strikes demonstrate Israel’s ability to track and target high-ranking Iranian officials even as they attempt to evade their fate.

The operation didn’t stop there. Binder disclosed that Israel’s initial strikes on Friday morning killed 30 Iranian commanders, including eight top generals. Additionally, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that at least nine nuclear scientists were eliminated. 

Turning Iran into a “First Circle” Threat

Binder praised the soldiers for their role in transforming how Israel confronts Iran, a nation located over 1,500 kilometers away. “We have to hunt them down wherever they flee. And you’re succeeding in turning Iran from some distant place, 1,500 kilometers away, into a military we know how to deal with as if it were in our first circle. You’ve turned the third circle into the first circle,” he said. In military strategy, Israel categorizes threats by proximity: the “first circle” includes immediate neighbors like Lebanon and Gaza, while the “third circle” refers to distant adversaries like Iran.