Israeli Airstrikes Decimate Iran’s Quds Force Leadership
Israel delivers a crushing blow to Iran’s Quds Force, killing top commanders in precision airstrikes powered by its secret new “ZIRAN” intel desk, marking a turning point in the shadow war.
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In a dramatic escalation of Israel’s military campaign against Iran, Major General Shlomi Binder, head of the IDF Intelligence Directorate, revealed on Thursday that Israeli airstrikes delivered a crippling blow to Iran’s elite Quds Force. Binder disclosed that on the first night of operations, the IDF eliminated approximately 30 Quds Force commanders, including senior figures such as Chiefs of Staff and Air Force Commanders. While only the names of higher-ranking officials were publicized, the strikes significantly disrupted the leadership of the Quds Force, a key branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Binder also detailed a precision operation conducted two days ago, showcasing the IDF’s advanced intelligence capabilities. Israeli forces targeted a covert Quds Force headquarters hidden in a mountainous region of Iran. Several commanders fled to a secondary location, but within 12 hours, the IDF tracked and struck the Chief of Staff of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, who had relocated to another mountain ridge in Tehran. This rapid follow-up strike highlights Israel’s ability to neutralize high-value targets with surgical accuracy.
New “ZIRAN” Desk at the Core of Israel’s Iran Strategy
The success of these operations has been linked to a newly established IDF intelligence unit, inadvertently revealed through a photo from Binder’s recent visit to an intelligence base. The image showed computer terminals with unblurred signage labeled “ZIRAN,” a Hebrew acronym for “Iran Arena.”
According to sources, the IDF’s Research Division created the ZIRAN desk in mid-2024 to focus exclusively on Iran, a strategic shift driven by Binder himself. Previously, Iran was monitored as part of the broader “Northeast Arena,” which included Syria and Iraq. The new desk, led by a full colonel, has rapidly become a cornerstone of Israel’s intelligence operations, playing a pivotal role in the ongoing campaign against Iran.
The establishment of ZIRAN reflects Israel’s intensified focus on countering Iran’s military influence, particularly through the Quds Force, which is accused of orchestrating attacks and supporting proxy groups like Hezbollah across the region. The strikes mark a significant escalation in the shadow war between Israel and Iran, with tensions already heightened by Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional activities. No official Iranian response was cited in Binder’s statement, and the situation remains under close international scrutiny as further developments unfold.