US-Israeli Airstrikes Reportedly Kill Iran’s Acting Defence Minister Hours After Appointment

Iran’s newly appointed acting Defence Minister, Seyed Majid Eb Al-Reza, has reportedly been killed in fresh U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, less than 48 hours after assuming office.

According to emerging reports on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Al-Reza was targeted in strikes carried out in Tehran. Iranian authorities have yet to issue a detailed official statement confirming the circumstances of his death, but multiple sources indicate he was among the latest high-profile casualties in the escalating conflict.

Al-Reza was appointed on March 2, 2026, by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as interim defence minister. His appointment followed the killing of his predecessor, Aziz Nasirzadeh, who died in earlier U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28.

Those earlier attacks also reportedly claimed the lives of senior Iranian figures, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Pakpour, Army Chief Abdol Rahim Mousavi, and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

If confirmed, the killing of two successive defence ministers within days would mark an unprecedented blow to Iran’s military leadership and signal a dramatic intensification of hostilities between Tehran and the U.S.-Israel alliance.

The reported strikes come amid widening regional tensions, with both sides trading accusations over targeted attacks on strategic installations and leadership structures.

Analysts warn that the continued decapitation of Iran’s top command could provoke further retaliation and deepen instability across the Middle East.