IRGC Commander Threatens to Destroy Israel in Escalating Rhetoric

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has ramped up its rhetoric with a new threat from Maj.-Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, who vowed to destroy Israel as part of Operation True Promise 3, a planned offensive targeting the Jewish state. In a speech to Basij members during a training exercise in Birjand on Friday, Jabbari stated, “Operation True Promise 3 will be carried out at the right time, with precision, and on a scale sufficient to destroy Israel and raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground.”

This marks the third time in a week that an IRGC commander has issued similar threats. Brig.-Gen. Ali Fadavi and Brig.-Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, senior IRGC officials, have also vowed to destroy Israel as part of the same operation. Operation True Promise 3 follows two previous attacks in April and October 2024, both of which were linked to Iran’s increasing missile capabilities.

The threats come amid an uptick in missile production by the IRGC, which has reportedly received shipments of rocket fuel precursor chemicals from China and recently unveiled a new underground "missile city." Iran’s growing missile capability was underscored by Hajizadeh’s remarks earlier this week, where he highlighted Iran’s capacity to carry out “the world’s largest ballistic missile operation” targeting Israel.

In response to the escalating threats, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar warned, “If the Jewish people have learned anything from history, it is this: if your enemy says his goal is to annihilate you – believe him. We are ready.”