Explained | Who was Hossein Salami, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard killed in the latest Israeli attack?

Hossein Salami is the senior-most Iranian killed in the latest attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyu’s government carried out a massive strike in Iran's capital city of Tehran in the wee hours of Friday.

As per media reports in Iran, the strikes killed many people the head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-- Hossein Salami.

A lot of people are curious to know as to who Salami is. The senior-most Iranian killed in the attacks, Salami, who was born in 1960 in Golpayegan.

According to reports in CNN, he joined the IRGC as a student shortly after the 1979 Iranian Revolution. He joined the Isfahan branch and fought against Iraq from Iranian Kurdistan.

Salami gained prominence during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appointed him as the Commander-in-Chief in 2019.

He was well known for his strong beliefs and loyalty towards Ali Khamenei and played a significant role in reforming Iran’s military strategy, most importantly in regional influence and missile advancement programmes.

Prior to taking on the role of IRGC Chief, he acted as the Deputy Commander for over a decade.

According to multiple media reports, Salami was recognised for his aggressive attitude towards Israel, the United States and the Gulf Arab States. He emphasised on Iran's military capabilities and advancements with the intention to convey Iran's deterrence abilities.

Under the leadership of Salami, the Iranian military saw growth in arsenal and strength. They also improved relations with proxy groups across the Middle East playing a crucial role in Iran’s foreign policy and regional security agenda. Salami led one of the most powerful military organisations in Iran.

Salami was also in charge during the launch of hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel in April and October last year which was seen as the first direct strike by Iran on Israel.