Israel launched an unprecedented decapitation strike of head Iranian figures as part of its wider strikes against Iran, taking out the country’s top nuclear scientists and military leaders. Beginning at around 3:30 a.

Gen. Hossein Salami was the chief of one of the country’s most powerful centers, and his death was a tough blow to Iran’s embattled leadership, which has had a series of setbacks in the past 20 months of Middle Eastern war and unrest. Salami rose to power six years ago and had a history of threatening the U.S. and Israel.