Third IRGC commander in a week threatens to destroy Israel, as Iran ramps up missile production

IRGC Maj.-Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari threatened to destroy Israel as part of Operation True Promise 3 in a speech to members of the Basij during a training exercise in Birjand on Friday.

“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,” he said.

Jabbari’s threat marks the third time in a week that an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander has threatened to destroy Israel in Operation True Promise 3. 

Jabbari joined Brig.-Gen. Ali Fadavi, deputy commander of the IRGC, and Brig.-Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, in their threats to destroy Israel in Operation True Promise 3.

Operation True Promise 3 is the name given to Iran’s planned third attack against Israel, following the first and second attacks in April and October 2024.

IRGC threats to destroy Israel

The increase in IRGC threats has been linked to an increase in IRGC missile production over the past month.

Iran received a 1,000-ton shipment of rocket fuel precursor chemicals from China last week, while the IRGC revealed a new underground “missile city” a week before.

This was further bolstered by Hajizadeh’s comments on Tuesday, where he lauded Iran’s ability to strike Israel in “the world’s largest ballistic missile operation.”

Jabbari is the most senior and well-connected commander who has made threats recently. Before his current position as advisor to the chief commander of the IRGC, Jababri commanded the Supreme Leader’s Protection Corps (also known as the “Vali Amr Guard Corps”), which functions as the Supreme Leader’s personal guard.

During the rest of his speech, Jabbari praised Hassan Nasrallah, the former leader of Hezbollah, who was killed by a targeted strike on his compound beneath civilian residential structures in Beirut in October.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded to Jabbari, saying, “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.”