IRGC's Qaani Questioned Amid Investigation into Nasrallah's Killing

Multiple sources have informed Middle East Eye that Esmail Qaani, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, is not dead as was thought possible, but rather he is under arrest and currently under guard. He was placed in detention questioned as part of a major investigation into security breaches. This probe comes in the wake of the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other senior figures in recent Israeli strikes.

Qaani has been out of public view since Nasrallah's death on September 27, leading to speculation that he was among the large number of IRGC who have been taken off the battlefield in Lebanon and Syria in recent weeks.

However, according to these reports, he is alive and among the chief suspects in an expanding investigation aimed at discovering how Israel managed to penetrate Hezbollah's leadership, allowing it to target Nasrallah. The suspicions that there were high-level moles in the IRGC increased even further following the apparent killing of Nasrallah's presumed successor, Hashem Safieddine, on October 4.

The investigation also focuses on the final movements of Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, who was killed alongside Nasrallah. As investigations continue, the implications for regional dynamics and the leadership structure of Iran-backed groups remain uncertain.