NEWS
Iran’s Acting Defense Minister Killed in Israeli Airstrike Less Than 24 Hours After Appointment Amid Escalating US-Israel Military Campaign
In a dramatic escalation of the Middle East conflict, reports indicate that General Seyed Majid Ebn Al-Reza (also referred to as Seyed Majid Ben Reza), who was appointed Iran’s acting Minister of Defense on March 2, 2026, was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran less than 24 hours after taking office.
According to multiple sources, the airstrike targeted strategic Iranian leadership sites as part of a large-scale military campaign jointly conducted by Israel and the United States against Iran.
Ebn Al-Reza was appointed by President Masoud Pezeshkian to succeed Aziz Nasirzadeh, the previous Defense Minister, who was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026.
Prior to his brief tenure as acting minister, Ebn Al-Reza served as Iran’s deputy defense minister, making him a high-profile figure in Tehran’s military hierarchy. While international media outlets, including India TV and Mirror Now, have cited his death, confirmation from official Iranian state media remains pending as authorities assess the situation.
The strike comes amid a rapidly escalating conflict that has already seen Iranian military actions reach beyond national borders.
On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, reports confirmed that Iranian drones attacked the United States embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking a dangerous expansion of hostilities. Saudi authorities reported that eight drones were intercepted across Riyadh and another city, but two managed to penetrate air defenses and struck the U.S. diplomatic compound, causing fire and visible structural damage. Security forces responded immediately, sealing off the diplomatic quarter, blocking major roads, and tightening access to the area.
The unfolding chain of events underscores a highly volatile and rapidly escalating regional conflict, with Iran, Israel, and the United States directly engaged in military operations, and allied nations bracing for potential fallout.