Summary
President Donald Trump warned Iran's military group, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), to surrender or face "certain death." Instead of heeding Trump's warning, the IRGC launched drone and missile attacks. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in one of these retaliatory attacks.
Key Facts
- President Trump told the IRGC to surrender or face "certain death."
- The IRGC responded with attacks on Israel and Arab states with U.S. interests.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, died in an attack on Tehran.
- The IRGC is an elite force in Iran's military, created after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
- It reports directly to Iran's supreme leader and plays a major role in defense and foreign operations.
- The IRGC was labeled a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2019 and by the EU in 2026.
- The group, along with its paramilitary wing Basij, is involved in Iran’s political and economic structures.
- The Basij is a volunteer force under the IRGC, participating in counter-protest actions and military efforts.
