Scepticism

Analysts and opposition-leaning accounts note the "mysterious" timing and question the accident narrative, suggesting it could mask a strike-related death to avoid admitting vulnerability or triggering mandatory strong retaliation.Iran has a pattern of attributing sensitive high-profile deaths to accidents or natural causes when convenient. 

However, as of now, there are no credible reports, claims, or evidence (from US, Israeli, or independent sources) linking his death to strikes or assassination.

There are no public denials of the death itself or alternative official explanations.

At the same time, framing a combat death as an accident is plausible in the Iranian regime's context — as admitting a senior naval figure was killed in US strikes without a major response could signal weakness domestically and regionally.