Assassination of top Iranian commander Colonel Syed, arrest of Israeli spies

- Assassination of another Iranian military officer in three years after Qasim Suleimani

- We will avenge the killing of the commander, we will kill whoever is found guilty: Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi

Tehran: Col. Syed Khodai, the top commander in the Iranian army, was killed. Israel's spy agency, Mossad, has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the killings. This is the second assassination of an Iranian military official in three years since the assassination of Qasim Suleimani in 2020.

Colonel Syed Khodai, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, was assassinated in the capital, Tehran. As Colonel Syed was getting into the car, unidentified assailants on bikes blocked the road and opened fire indiscriminately. Tehran was cordoned off immediately after the firing and tight security was in place.

The government had ordered an inquiry into the killings. Israeli spies were arrested. It is possible that Mossad, Israel's spy agency, carried out the killings. The Iranian government said in an official statement that a number of Mossad agents had been arrested and were being questioned. Colonel Syed Khodai was considered one of the most important officers in the Iranian army. He was considered one of Iran's defenders.

Earlier, in 2020, a top military official named Qasim Suleimani was assassinated. Iran's President Ibrahim Raisi has vowed to avenge the killings of two top officials in three years. Those who are guilty will be severely punished. Colonel Syed's sacrifice would strengthen the resolve of the Revolutionary Guards and capture the killers and do the same. Iran called the killings a terrorist act and pointed to Israel, saying it was the work of countries with global arrogance.

Six top Iranian scientists have also been killed since 2010 for one reason or another. Iran claims that Israel's spy agency is behind this. Officials linked to Iran's nuclear program have been killed in six mysterious circumstances over the past 15 years.