JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel’s military said it carried out an airstrike in southern Iran that killed the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy along with its intelligence chief, in what it described as a significant blow to Iran’s maritime operations.

The Israel Defense Forces said the overnight strike targeted senior IRGC naval leadership in the port city of Bandar Abbas while they were meeting.

Among those killed was IRGC Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri, who had led the force for several years, and intelligence chief Behnam Rezaei, according to the military. Additional casualties were not immediately identified.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy has been a key player in Iran’s operations in the Persian Gulf, including activity around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

The Israeli military accused Tangsiri of overseeing attacks on commercial shipping and oil tankers and of threatening international maritime routes. It also said he had been involved in efforts during the current conflict to disrupt shipping traffic and target vessels in the region.

The military said the strike damages Iran’s ability to coordinate operations at sea, calling it a blow to the IRGC’s command structure and its capacity to carry out attacks in the maritime domain.

Iranian officials did not immediately comment on the reported strike or the deaths.