Dubai. An Iranian general from the Revolutionary Guard died in an Israeli airstrike that also killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, according to Iranian media on Saturday.

The death of Gen. Abbas Nilforushan adds to Iran's losses as the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza threatens to spill over into a wider regional war. His death escalates pressure on Tehran to respond, despite its recent signals of interest in negotiating with the West over crippling economic sanctions.

Nilforushan, 58, was reportedly killed on Friday during the strike that also claimed Nasrallah's life, the state-run Tehran Times reported. Ahmad Reza Pour Khaghan, Iran’s deputy judiciary chief, confirmed the general’s death, describing him as a "guest" of Lebanon, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Khaghan also noted that Iran has the right to retaliate under international law.

Nilforushan served as the deputy commander of operations for the Revolutionary Guard, overseeing its ground forces. His presence in Lebanon at the time of the strike remains unclear. The Guard’s Quds Force, responsible for regional operations, has long supported Hezbollah as part of its strategy against Israel and the U.S.

Nilforushan had often criticized Israel, once describing it as facing “ethnic, cultural, social, and military rifts.” He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 for his role in suppressing protests in Iran, following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman detained for allegedly violating Iran’s hijab laws.

The general had also fought in Syria, supporting President Bashar Assad during the country’s civil war. Like many in Iran’s military elite, he started his career in the Iran-Iraq war during the 1980s.

In 2020, Iranian state television called Nilforushan a “comrade” of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the Quds Force leader killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad.

Nilforushan’s death comes as Iran signals a possible shift in its dealings with the West, following the election of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian in July. Despite his criticism of Israel, Pezeshkian has expressed willingness to negotiate over Iran's nuclear program, which has escalated tensions since the U.S. withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018.

Iran continues to threaten retaliation for Soleimani's death and the July assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, allegedly by Israel. Tehran has yet to explain why it hasn’t retaliated, though a major strike it launched on Israel in April failed to cause significant damage.

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