A top Iranian military commander, who was declared dead by The New York Times during the 12-day war with Israel, apparently is alive.
According to video on social media, Esmail Qaani, a general in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), joined a crowd at a rally Tuesday following a missile attack on the U.S. Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar.
Qaani, 62, was seen wearing civilian clothes and a black baseball cap while speaking with revelers waving Iranian flags, Ynetnews reported.
The Times, on June 13, quoted sources as saying Qaani had been among several senior Iranian military officials killed in Israel's initial wave of attacks.
Qaani's appearance was significant because Israel reportedly killed at least 10 senior Iranian commanders, including top figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its intelligence and aerospace divisions.
As commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, Qaani is responsible for Iran's foreign operations and alliances, Newsweek reported. He's also central to Tehran's regional strategy.
The Jerusalem Post reported Qaani wanted to revive and consolidate control of Iraq's Shia terrorist militia groups.
Qaani was appointed to lead the Quds Force in January 2020, following the U.S. assassination of Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.
In October 2024, Qaani's whereabouts were unknown following an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah's presumed successor, Hashem Safieddine, The Jerusalem Post reported.
At the time, Qaani reportedly was alive, and he and his team were placed under investigation in Iran following reports of security breaches in the IRGC.
"The Iranians have serious suspicions that the Israelis have infiltrated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, especially those working in the Lebanese arena, so everyone is currently under investigation," a source told the Middle East Eye at the time.
Israeli media, citing Sky News, reported Qaani suffered a heart attack during interrogations.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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