None.

Israeli strikes on Tehran oil refinery part of ‘psychological war’

The Israeli bombardment of Tehran's oil refinery appears to be part of a psychological war against the Iranians, to frighten them and make them believe that it’s really going to be the end for them. We saw this happen in Yemen as well, when Israel targeted major oil depots.

Of course, this will hurt Iranians because these are the fuel facilities that supply Tehran and other regions.

The Israelis are probably planning to cause a situation of crisis in terms of fuel in Iran, and Iranians will consider this as an act of aggression and terrorism.

For the Israelis, it will help them reduce the capability and movability of Iranian troops and machinery because of the supply shortage. But Iran is a big country, and it has many facilities around the country, and it is doubtful if the strike tonight will cause a full crisis.

We view it differently.

Iran will think like this: "If they block us from having fuel then the attackers won't have it either."

Israel detects missiles from Iran

The Israeli military says Iran has launched several missiles towards Israel, and that air defences are “operating to intercept” the projectiles.

Videos show huge fires in Tehran after Israel’s attacks

Video shows huge fires and clouds of smoke in Tehran’s skies after Israeli forces bombed oil storage facilities in the Iranian capital.

Israel claims attacks on IRGC commanders in Beirut

The Israeli military says it has struck “key commanders in the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps” who were operating in Beirut.

This comes after Lebanese authorities said at least four people have been killed in an Israeli attack on a hotel in Beirut.

Iran warns of consequences as US, Israel hit oil depots, desalination plant

The Israelis are trying to achieve two goals with these attacks on Iranian oil facilities.

One is shock and awe: These fireballs in the skies of Tehran are very frightening to the population. At the same time, these are vital facilities for the livelihood of people. Two: Israel is probably trying to undermine the mobility of the Iranian military.

These attacks have drawn concern and condemnation in Iran. Particularly, the strike against the water desalination plant. The foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said: “The US committed a blatant and desperate crime by attacking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island. Water supplies for 30 villages has been impacted. Attacking Iran’s infrastructure is a dangerous move with great consequences. The US set this precedent, not Iran.”

It seems hat when Iran talks about precedent, it is thinking of a response of a similar kind. One of the most vulnerable points in the Gulf is water desalination plants. Iran says it considers Gulf countries as aiding and abetting this war of aggression on them. This may be a hint by the Iranians that, after this alleged precedent by the US, they will strike at water desalination facilities in the Gulf.

This could be a dangerous situation because the Gulf region relies on water desalination for 90 percent of its drinking water supplies.

China’s Wang Yi says US-Israel war on Iran ‘should never have happened’

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that the ongoing US-Israeli military offensive against Iran should “never have happened” and called for an “immediate” end to hostilities as well as a return to the negotiating table.

Wang Yi made the comment during a news conference in Beijing during which he also said that force “will never resolve” the ongoing crisis.

“A strong fist does not mean strong reason. The world cannot return to the law of the jungle,” he said.

Wang also said that he believes there is no popular support for regime change in Iran.

Air raid sirens in Israel after Iran fires missiles

Israeli media say air raid sirens have been activated in southern Israel, including in the Negev desert, after the IRGC announced a new round of missile and drone attacks.

Israel’s Channel 12 said air defences were intercepting the projectiles.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, announced on X that it has detected missiles from Iran and asked the public to heed emergency alerts.

Israel launches new wave of attacks on Iran

The Israeli military says it has begun another wave of strikes targeting Iranian government infrastructure across the country.

Israel says missiles launched from Iran, interception efforts under way

The Israeli military says it has identified missiles launched from Tehran towards Israel “a short while ago” and “defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat”.

“In the past few minutes, the Home Front Command has sent a precautionary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas. The public is asked to act responsibly and follow the instructions – they save lives,” the statement published on Telegram said.

US, Israel mull sending special forces to seize Iran’s nuclear stockpile: Report

The Axios news outlet is reporting that the US and Israel have discussed the possibility of deploying special forces to seize Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

The US outlet cited four sources with knowledge of the matter.

It noted that Trump’s war objectives include preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and said seizing the country’s 450kg (992 pounds) of 60 percent enriched uranium would be key to the US president’s goal.

Axios said the mission would likely take place “at a later stage” of the war after the US and Israel determine that Iran’s military can no longer mount a serious defense.

The fate of Iran’s stockpile is unclear after the US and Israel launched attacks on the country’s nuclear sites and infrastructure last June.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran has not allowed it access to the bombed sites and said its inspectors have not found any evidence of a coordinated Iranian program to build nuclear weapons.

Thick black cloud engulfs Tehran after Israeli attacks

Tohid Asadi reported from Tehran:

"What happened last night is quite unprecedented.

It’s daytime here in Tehran today, but it looks like night as the city is engulfed by a thick black cloud. On my way to the office, I saw drops of rain falling onto my window, and they were black.

There is a high risk of toxic air as several fuel depots and oil refineries were targeted across different locations overnight, including the southeast of Tehran and the eastern part of Shehran.

This is not the first time. Back in June, during the 12-day war, we also saw fuel depots being targeted, but this is unprecedented. We are dealing with a critical situation in terms of war and environmental circumstances in the capital.

And we are receiving reports of these attacks continuing across the country.

There are serious concerns about the rising number of casualties among civilians. Three days ago, the tally was about 1,300, but we know that in the past few days, intensive strikes targeting Iranian territory have continued, so it’s likely that the number has gone up.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to strike back, and there is no sign of de-escalation as of now."

IRGC says Iran can fight ‘intense war’ with Israel, US for 6 months

Ali Mohammad Naini, spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, says the country’s forces could fight an “intense war” at the current pace for six months against the US and Israel, according to the Fars news agency.

Naini said Iran had so far used “first and second generation” missiles, but will use “advanced and less-used long-range missiles” in the coming days.

Israel claims to have struck Isfahan airport, destroying F-14 jets

The Israeli military says its forces carried out air attacks on an airport in Iran’s Isfahan yesterday, destroying an unspecified number of F-14 fighters.

“Additionally, detection systems and air defense systems that posed a threat to Israeli Air Force aircraft were struck,” the statement published on Telegram said.

“This strike is in addition to the strike which dismantled 16 ‘Quds Force’ aircraft two days ago [Friday] at the Mehrabad airport in Tehran,” it added.

Four killed in Israeli strikes on Iranian oil sites: Report

At least four tanker drivers have been killed in Israel’s attacks on Iranian oil sites in Tehran and the province of Alborz, according to the Fars news agency.

The Israeli attacks hit four oil storage facilities and a petroleum products transfer centre in Tehran and Alborz, it said.

Despite the attack, “there is no shortage of fuel distribution” and security forces “are currently engaged in firefighting operations”, it said.

US-Israeli attacks kill 11 in Iran’s Isfahan: Report

The Tasnim news agency is reporting that US-Israeli jets have attacked several manufacturing workshops and a horse-riding club in the province of Isfahan, killing at least 11 people.

A number of others were wounded, the agency reported.

At least eight cities were hit in the central province. Those were Isfahan, Najafabad, Aran, Bidgol, Barkhar, Khomenei Shahr, Shahreza, Falavarjan and Mobarakeh, it said.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts hints at consensus on next supreme leader

Ayatollah Mohammad-Mahdi Mirbagheri, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, has hinted that a decision on a successor to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is near.

In a video posted by the Fars news agency on Telegram, Mirbagheri said “great efforts to determine the leadership” have been made and that “a decisive and unanimous opinion” has been reached.

In an interview with Fars, another member of the body, Hojjatoleslam Jafari, said he hoped “all Iranian people will be satisfied as soon as possible”.

“The delay in electing the third leader is bitter and unwanted for everyone, and there is no alternative, so we should not have bad thoughts about our representatives at this difficult time,” he said.

Under the Iranian constitution, it is the 88-member Assembly of Experts that is authorized to choose the country’s supreme leader. Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 37 years, was killed in a US-Israeli strike on Tehran on February 28.

Israeli minister says ‘escalations’ planned after attacks on Iran’s oil facilities

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen says Israeli attacks on Iran’s oil facilities were an escalation in the war and “we will see additional escalations in the coming days”.

Speaking to Israel’s Radio 103 broadcaster, Cohen said “all targets that will help us harm the current regime in Iran” are on the table.

Asked about the planned duration of the war, he said: “We know the timeframe in which we hope to achieve all the goals we set. There is a plan in the war, there are developments on the ground, we don’t want to be in a situation where in another year or two we will be in another round.”

Oil spill from Israeli strikes ignites ‘river of fire’ in Tehran

The oil spill from the destroyed oil depots hit by Israeli strikes has leaked into some of Tehran’s sewage system, igniting a “river of fire” on the sides of the streets in the Iranian capital.

A video posted on X by the culture and arts account Living in Tehran showed fire burning along a stretch of a road in the city.

Earlier, the Iranian Oil Ministry confirmed that fuel depots were hit in three areas, including Karaj city in Alborz province, west of Tehran.

Iranian Red Crescent warns of toxic rain risks after explosions at oil facilities

The Iranian Red Crescent Society has warned civilians to take precautions, saying rain could become toxic after explosions at oil facilities. Such rain could cause chemical burns to the skin and damage to the lungs, it said.

In a post on Telegram, the agency gave the following instructions:

• During rainfall after explosions, do not leave your home under any circumstances.
• If you are outdoors, immediately take shelter under concrete or metal roofs and avoid sheltering under trees.
• If rain comes into contact with the skin, do not rub the affected area under any circumstances and rinse it only with a continuous stream of cold water.
• Immediately change clothes that have been soaked by the rain and place them in a sealed bag.

Tehran governor slashes fuel quota for residents after oil facilities attacked

Fuel quota with personal card has been reduced from 30 litres (7.9 gallons) per day to 20 litres (5.2 gallons), the Fars news agency reported, quoting Tehran’s Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian.

He said people should not worry about fuel as disruptions in supply would be resolved soon, and promised to reverse the measure after “two or three days”.

Israel says it will pursue every successor of Khamenei, threatens body tasked with picking leader

The ⁠Israeli ⁠military has issued a new threat against Iranian leaders, saying it would pursue ⁠every successor of Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli attacks on February 28.

In a social media post in ‌Farsi, the military also threatened it would pursue every person who ⁠seeks to appoint ⁠a successor, ⁠referring to the Assembly of Experts, the body ⁠charged with choosing Iran’s supreme ‌leader.

Trump: Iran’s new supreme leader won’t ‘last long’ without his approval

The US president says Iran’s next supreme leader “is not going to last long” if Tehran does not get his approval first to replace slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an air strike on the first day of the war.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long.”

His comments came as an Iranian council of religious leaders responsible for choosing the supreme leader was reported to have voted and would soon announce a name.

How delusional is his demand.

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter is clear: All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s energy facilities ‘significant development’

Foad Izadi, a professor at the University of Tehran, has said Israel’s strikes targeting Iran’s critical industries, such as energy installations, are “a very significant development” in the war.

“This is the first time that Iranian cities, including Tehran, are experiencing this type of attack,” Izadi said.

“Right now, it’s about noon local time, and it looks like it’s night-time because of all the smoke. We don’t see the sun,” he said.

Nearly 2,000 people hospitalized in Israel since Iran war broke out: Ministry

The Israeli Health Ministry says at least 1,929 people have been hospitalized, including 157 in the past 24 hours, since the start of the Iran war.

The ministry said nine people were in serious condition, while 42 had moderate injuries and 70 had minor injuries.

A significant number of those arriving at hospitals were injured while descending to protected areas, it added.

Nearly 10,000 civilian building units destroyed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran: Red Crescent

The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) says at least 9,669 civilian units have been destroyed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

The statistics provided by the relief NGO included:

• 7,943 residential units
• 1,617 commercial units

Double-tap missile attack reported in central Iran’s Najafabad city

More than 20 people have been killed and 50 others injured in a US-Israeli double-tap missile attack in Iran’s central city of Najafabad, according to the Fars news agency.

The report quoted an unnamed police officer as saying that rescue workers and common residents were helping the injured after a missile attack in the city when the second missile hit the same spot minutes later.

Mojtaba Khamenei

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has again emerged as a potential figure to succeed his father, who was killed on the first day of the US-Israeli attacks.

The 56-year-old has never run for office or been subjected to a public vote, but has for decades been a highly influential figure in the inner circle of the supreme leader, cultivating deep ties to the IRGC.

In recent years, Mojtaba Khamenei has increasingly been touted as a top potential replacement for his father. If he does ascend to power, it would be a sign that more hardline factions in Iran’s establishment retain power, and could indicate that the government has little desire to agree to a deal or negotiations in the short term.

Iranian body selecting supreme leader reaches decision, name not announced: Members

The body tasked with selecting Iran’s new supreme leader has reached a decision, members say, although the name has yet to be announced.

“The most suitable candidate, approved by the majority of the Assembly of Experts, has been determined,” said Mohsen Heydari, a member of the selection body who represents Khuzestan province, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Another member, Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, confirmed in a video carried by Iran’s Fars news agency that “a firm opinion reflecting the majority view has been reached”.

At least 6 people killed in attack on oil depot in Iran’s Karaj city: Official

The Israeli attack on the Fardis oil depot in the city of Karaj in the province of Alborz has killed at least six people and injured 21, according to the Tasnim news agency, which quoted a local security official.

The victims included residents of nearby houses, the official said.

IRGC claims to have targeted Israeli cities

Israeli attack on Tehran's oil  is ‘releasing hazardous materials, toxic substances’

Thick choking black smoke hangs over Tehran after strikes on oil storage facilities lit up the night sky with plumes of ⁠orange flames.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the large-scale attack marked a “dangerous new phase” of the conflict and amounted to a war crime.

“By targeting fuel depots, the aggressors are releasing hazardous materials and toxic substances into the air – poisoning civilians, devastating the environment, and endangering lives on a massive scale,” Baghaei wrote on X.

Iran rejects foreign interference over selection of new supreme leader: Araghchi

Iran’s foreign minister has said the selection of a new supreme leader will be decided by the country’s Assembly of Experts, stressing that it is an internal matter for the Iranian people.

In an interview with NBC, Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s political institutions were continuing to function normally.

“A new supreme leader is going to be elected soon by the Assembly of Experts,” he said, adding that the president, cabinet and parliament were all continuing their duties.

He also pushed back against comments by US President Donald Trump, saying Iran would not allow outside interference in its domestic affairs.

“This is up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader,” he said. “It is only the business of the Iranian people and nobody else’s business.”

Major blasts heard across Tehran

Heavy explosions have been heard in several parts of the Iranian capital, according to state media.

Israeli army says missiles launched from Iran towards Israel

Projectiles have been launched towards Israeli territory and air defence systems are working to intercept them, the Israeli military says.

In a statement, it said it identified missile launches from Iran.

Iran awaits selection of new supreme leader

 Iranian journalist Tohid Asadi about the appointment of a new supreme leader:

"We have been hearing speculation about a majority consensus over the new supreme leader in Iran. There have also been some members from the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for choosing the supreme leader of the country, coming out to say that there is a sort of consensus.

We have to keep in mind that we are dealing with the most important decision to be made when it comes to the political establishment in Iran, given the huge amount of authority that Iran’s supreme leader has when it comes to domestic affairs, foreign policy issues and, of course, the ongoing war in the country.

According to the constitution, right now the leadership of the country is with the interim leadership council, composed of the Iranian president, the Iranian head of the judiciary and a Guardian Council member.

This body came out a couple of days ago to say that planning is under way for the meeting of the Assembly of Experts. According to the constitution, this process should be completed as soon as possible.

But how soon is something that remains to be seen."

Israeli army says it strikes 50 IRGC storage sites, space agency

The Israeli military says it has carried out a wave of strikes on Tehran targeting Iran’s space agency and ammunition storage facilities.

The strikes “dismantled” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Space Force headquarters, the army said in a statement on Telegram.

Additional targets included roughly 50 bunkers holding ammunition, a paramilitary Basij base and an IRGC compound, it added.

Explosions heard in Iran’s Qom; two areas targeted

Iranian state media are reporting that explosions have been heard in the city of Qom.

According to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency, the attacks targeted two areas of Qom, a major centre of religious scholarship.

US says Israeli strikes hitting Iranian fuel depots

The United States says Israeli strikes in Iran have targeted local fuel depots, adding that Washington does not plan to target Iran’s energy industry, including its oil and gas sector.

Speaking to CNN on Sunday, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the sites hit were “Israeli strikes” on “local fuel depots to fill up the gas tank”, referring to attacks on oil storage facilities in and around Tehran that triggered large fires on Saturday.

He added that Washington is targeting “zero energy infrastructure” and has no plans to strike Iran’s oil or natural gas industry.

The war has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil usually passes.

More on civilian sites attacked in Iran: Red Crescent

Pirhoussein Koulivand, head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, says 65 schools and 32 medical facilities, hospitals and pharmacies have been attacked since the US and Israel launched the war.

They are among the almost 10,000 civilian sites that the Red Crescent said earlier have been damaged in the country. The announcement came after the Israeli military said it struck more than 3,400 targets in Iran.

US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, denied targeting civilians in a comment to The Associated Press and instead accused Iran of deliberately doing so.

Israel’s attack on Iran could ‘continue for a long time’: Spokesman

An Israeli army spokesman says Israel will continue carrying out strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members and that the current US-Israel operations could continue “for a long time”.

Effie Defrin described Israel’s early morning attack on a Beirut hotel as targeting the IRGC “precisely in their hideouts”. The army warned families of IRGC members to leave Lebanon, he added.

“These attacks are going to be the same for every individual and personnel of the IRGC,” Defrin said. “They have no place to hide in Iran, Lebanon, or anywhere.”

He also claimed that Israeli forces destroyed Iran’s military headquarters “completely” and hit fuel storage facilities near Tehran.

The ongoing attack is a “multi-front war”, the spokesman added.

“This operation might continue for a long time.”

Iran names Khamenei’s son as new supreme leader after father’s killing

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been selected as Iran’s supreme leader.

Khamenei has never run for office or been subjected to a public vote, but has for decades been a highly influential figure in the inner circle of the supreme leader, cultivating deep ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The 56-year-old Khamenei has never discussed the issue of succession publicly, a sensitive topic, considering that his ascension to the position of supreme leader would effectively create a dynasty reminiscent of the Pahlavi monarchy before the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Assembly of Experts calls on Iranians to pledge support to new leader

Iran’s Assembly of Experts – the ⁠clerical body that named Iran’s next supreme leader as Mojtaba Khamenei a few minutes ago – has called upon Iranians to maintain unity and pledge support to Khamenei.

In a statement circulated on state media, the assembly said Khamenei was chosen based on a “decisive vote”.

It urged all Iranians, “especially the elites and intellectuals of the seminaries and universities”, to “pledge allegiance to the leadership and maintain unity”

Choosing Mojtaba Khamenei as leader is ‘act of defiance’ from Iran

The choice of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader is a signal of both continuity and rebellion among Iran’s clerical leaders, an analyst says.

“This is kind of an act of defiance… telling the Americans and Israelis, ‘You wanted to get rid of our system? Well, in your face! This is a more radical person than his father who was assassinated,'” said Rami Khouri, a political analyst at the American University of Beirut.

“This is a sign of continuity, and we’ll see what that brings,” he added.

Many observers believed Mojtaba Khamenei would not replace father

Mojtaba Khamenei’s name has been circulating for years within the Iranian elite.

There has been this discussion as to whether it works or doesn’t. Many thought it wouldn’t happen because succession within the same family could give a resemblance to the monarchy.

Yet the new circumstances – the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – meant Mojtaba Khamenei could ascend and become Iran’s new supreme leader.

The question? How will President Trump react and will Mojtaba Khamenei try to continue this war.

Revolutionary Guard pledges allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei and recognized him as Iran’s new supreme leader.

In a statement carried by state media, the IRGC declared its “sincere and lifelong allegiance” to Khamenei, “emphasising that … they will listen to orders and be ready to implement” them.

Khamenei’s election by the 88-member Assembly of Experts “proved to everyone that the movement of the Islamic system does not stop, and the revolution and the Islamic system do not depend on individuals”, the IRGC added.

Top Iranian officials call for allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei

More high-profile members of the Iranian government have publicly affirmed their support for Khamenei and called on Iranians to do the same.

Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, called the Assembly of Experts’ decision “precise” and said following Khamenei is Iranians’ “definitive religious and national obligation”.

Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, called for unity around the new leader and thanked the assembly for its “clear” decision.

Trump previously called new Iranian supreme leader ‘a lightweight’

The White House has not immediately responded to the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s supreme leader, but Trump has previously stated a dim view.

Trump derided the 56-year-old – who has never been elected or appointed to a government position – as “a lightweight”.

“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said in an interview with Axios last week.

“I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela,” Trump said, referring to the acting president in the South American country.

Trump earlier on Sunday repeated that he expects to have a say in picking Iran’s next leader, warning that a new leader “is not going to last long” if the person doesn’t have his approval.

Iranians to ‘remain divided’ over Mojtaba Khamenei as new leader

The internet blackout here has caused a reduction in the amount of information that is flowing in Iran. Everyone expected the supreme leader announcement to take time, and this development tonight may surprise many.

At the same time, there have been names talked about, and speculation about whether the leadership would take a hard line – which is what happened – or whether they would select someone closer to the reformists.

Iranians will, of course, remain divided about this announcement, because the reformists have been on the streets demanding change in Iran, and I don’t think that situation will change.

But under the current circumstances of war, we have seen their voices being hushed – not by the authorities, but the feeling among many Iranians that this is not the time to rally.

New supreme leader choice makes US-Israel war ‘even more senseless’

The choice of Ayatollah Khamenei’s son as Iran’s top leader has raised questions about the decision to attack by the US and Israel and replace one hardliner with another, an analyst says.

“It’s a real finger in the eye of Donald Trump, who previously said he didn’t want Mojtaba Khamenei,” said Barbara Slavin from the Stimson Institute.

“So it makes the whole US-Israeli war even more senseless, to kill Ayatollah Khamenei and simply get his son in his place – somebody who’s going to be furious, of course, at the murder of his father, his mother, his wife, and one of his children in the Israeli strike just a week ago.”

Slavin noted that Mojtaba has been governing with his father for years, “and given the existential threat that the Islamic Republic faces, it seems quite logical to put [him] there, because he knows everyone and everything”.

However, she added, “he’s not someone who seems likely to bring more human rights and democracy to Iran”.

Iran’s armed forces declare allegiance to Khamenei

Iran’s armed forces are the latest to announce support for new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

In a statement published on state media, the military described Khamenei as “just, knowledgeable … pious and resourceful”, and said the Assembly of Experts had “proven their intelligence” by selecting him.

The IRGC also congratulated Khamenei and declared its “sincere and lifelong allegiance” to him.

 

Gulf countries likely to be concerned over new supreme leader

For the Gulf, it’s a de facto war situation. They are being hit with Iranian drones and missiles on a daily basis, so they’re already in a state of hostility with Iran.

The way Gulf countries will react to Mojtaba Khamenei’s selection is going to be with a lot of concern.

At the same time, they’ll be watching: maybe he’ll come with something new, and maybe he’ll surprise them.

But it’s not the right time now, because this is war.

How will Israel react to Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment?

This news is being analyzed in Israel very closely indeed. What we’re going to get is two linked but slightly separate approaches.

The first is what Israel will be saying in public, which is that this essentially doesn’t really change anything at all: that the new leader of Iran will be a target just like the old leader of Iran was, that he will be hunted, and they will look for any opportunity to strike.

The Israelis have a position that the man at the top and his personality don’t matter. It’s the system that they feel is an enemy of Israel, and they’ll continue their policies against Iran as long as the leadership continues its politics against Israel.

But beyond that, they’ll be interested in who this new guy is, and what his appointment says about the stability of the regime.

If Iran is now moving into a dynastic situation, is that a suggestion that the cracks are starting to widen within the regime? That is the kind of thing the Israelis will be looking at now.

Israel says 13 killed, nearly 2,000 injured in Iranian attacks

At least 13 Israelis have been killed and 1,929 others wounded in Iranian attacks on Israel since last week.

The Health Ministry said in a statement that 157 people were injured in Iranian strikes over the last 24 hours.

Some 112 people are still hospitalized, including nine in serious condition. The ministry urged Israelis to rush to bomb shelters “with caution”, noting that people have been injured while running to shelters.