TEHRAN – Dismissing rumors circulating in Israeli media about the health of Quds Force commander Brigadier General Esmaeil Qaani, General Eraj Masjedi, the deputy commander for coordination of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, assured the public that Qaani is "safe and sound."

Speaking at a cultural event in Tehran on Monday, Masjedi stated, "The IRGC Quds Force commander is safe and healthy and doing his activities normally." He directly addressed the speculation that had emerged, which claimed Qaani had been either martyred or injured in Lebanon. 

The Israeli regime's media outlets have been the source of these rumors, according to the IRGC official.

Also on Monday, Qaani delivered a message to an event commemorating the anniversary of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, hailing the Palestinians for their resolute resistance against the Israeli regime in the past year. 

Rumors of Qaani’s injury or possible martyrdom began circulating a couple of days after Israel was hit by barrages of Iranian missiles for its assassinations of top Resistance figures. 

Israel assassinated Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh in July and Hezbollah Secretary-General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah in September. The regime has killed multiple high-ranking Resistance figures in the past year, as it's been struggling to stand up to Palestinians, Lebanese, and Iranians in the battleground. Several Iranian military officials have also been martyred since last October, including multiple IRGC commanders and advisors.

Analysts believe Tel Aviv’s only way of convincing the world that it’s succeeding in its deadly military campaigns is by assassinating individuals, hence why it began to circulate rumors about the well-being of the Quds Commander after receiving a heavy blow from Iran. 

Qaani started leading the elite IRGC forces after Iran’s anti-terror icon Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani was martyred during an American drone strike in Baghdad airport.