The commander in chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, has been killed in Israel’s strike, state media reported at local time on Friday.

Newsweek previously reached out to the White House via email for comment regarding the strikes.

Why It Matters

Tensions in the region have escalated as Iranian Defense Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh previously warned that Iran could attack U.S. bases if nuclear talks break down with President Donald Trump‘s administration or if hostilities continue to mount.

What To Know

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz first announced the strikes in a statement saying that he initiated “a special state of emergency” in Israel following a “preemptive strike against Iran” and warned of potential drone and missile attacks against Israel and civilians.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio followed up in a statement, saying, “Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

Rubio added: “Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”

It was reported on Wednesday that the United States Embassy in Baghdad was also preparing for an ordered evacuation of nonessential personnel amid security threats in the region.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.