Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) decorates, Oct. 6, 2024, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh (L) with the 'Fath' badge in Tehran for planning the Iranian attack on Israel.

Iran's Khamenei decorates commander for Israel attack

by · Voice of America

Tehran — Iran's supreme leader has decorated the Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander for the Islamic Republic's missile attacks on arch-foe Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's website said Sunday.

"Ayatollah Khamenei presented the Order of Fath ("Conquest" in Farsi) to General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Guards Aerospace Force," it said.

The decoration was bestowed because of what was described as "the brilliant 'Honest Promise' operation," according to the website.

Hajizadeh, 62, has headed the Guards aerospace unit since its creation in 2009.

On Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired some 200 missiles at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC top general Abbas Nilforushan in Beirut.

It was Iran's second direct attack on Israel in six months, after a missile and drone assault in April in retaliation for a deadly strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus, which Tehran blamed on Israel.

Israel has vowed to respond after Tuesday's Iranian missile attack. The exact nature of that response is still to be determined or seen.