Israeli major general Eyal Zamir, who is one of the leading candidates to take over as the next chief of the military, has called for ramping up assassinations of Iranian military officials. 

In a lengthy policy paper, titled ‘Countering Iran’s regional strategy,’ published on Tuesday by the Washington Institute, the candidate to replace IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi said regional states must weaken IRGC “in every dimension and use every means possible to exert pressure on it,” because Iran’s threat is “the central threat to the national security of these nations and is the glue – the shared interest – holding the Sunni-Israeli camp together.”

“IRGC is the backbone of the regime and the main means by which it seeks to dominate the region,” he said, adding, “The IRGC is responsible for most covert activity, subversion of other governments, terrorist acts, and political assassinations in the Middle East and around the world, as well as maintaining contact with its regional and global partners,” he said. 

Soleimani model targeted killings -- like the attack that killed IRGC’s Quds Force commander in 2020, targeting IRGC’s leadership, commanders and key operatives behind the planning and execution of terror attacks, as well as issuing international arrest warrants for designated individuals are among the means Zamir suggested for weakening IRGC.

“Damage the IRGC’s operational center of gravity — its long-range strike capabilities such as rockets, missiles, and drones — by covert action against manufacturing plants and missile and UAV main operating and forward bases, while preparing a plan of action to damage Iran’s defensive system,” he added.