• Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei to ‌replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ⁠as the country’s ⁠new supreme ⁠leader, with political leaders and the military pledging their allegiance to him.

Iran’s president says Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment heralds ‘new era of dignity and strength’

Masoud Pezeshkian has welcomed the selection of a new supreme leader by the Iranian Assembly of Experts, saying Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment heralds a “new era of dignity and strength” for the nation.

“This valuable choice is a manifestation of the will of the Islamic nation to consolidate national unity; a unity that, like a solid barrier, has made the Iranian nation resistant to the conspiracies of the enemies,” Pezeshkian said in a statement, according to the Fars news agency.

Iran’s armed forces, the IRGC and top Iranian leaders, including Mohammed-Bagher Qalibaf and Ali Larijani, have pledged allegiance to the new supreme leader.

Ali Khamenei had no say in son’s succession, analyst says

Hamid Reza Gholamzadeh, director of the DiploHouse think tank in Tehran, says Iran’s slain supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, had no role in selecting his son to succeed him.

In fact, Gholamzadeh claimed the elder Khamenei was initially opposed to the idea and said the responsibility for the appointment rests entirely with Iran’s Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body tasked by the constitution to select the new supreme leader.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with his father,” Gholamzadeh said.

“The Assembly of Experts is responsible to take the technical revision of the possible figures and those who are best matching the criteria based on the constitution, and they have chosen him,” he said.

Still, Mojtaba Khamenei was “very close to his father” and therefore was aware of the challenges facing Iran, the analyst said.

“The position of the leader doesn’t need actually to have some executive experience,” Gholamzadeh added. “The point is, the better he knows the situation, the better he knows the challenges of the executive power in practice.”

Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment sends message of defiance

This is the ultimate act of defiance on multiple levels.

With Iran under bombardment on a daily basis and no safe place in the country, particularly in the capital, Tehran, this decision sends a deliberate message: that the Iranian leadership is not afraid of what’s going on, that it has the means to protect its new leader, and that it will not listen to the dictates of “foreign invading armies”.

This is also a rebuke to Trump. The US president said earlier that he wants to have a say in the selection of the new leader, and that’s not what happened here in Iran tonight. Iran is projecting defiance against the enemy and making it clear to the Americans and to the world that they are still in charge of their country and of their political process.

Already, there’s been much support for this move.

The IRGC was the first to announce its support, followed by the armed forces and the national police. The head of the National Security Council, Ali Larijani, has also expressed his support. We have seen some people in the streets expressing their support. So, every component of the political system, particularly the military and security apparatus, has said yes to this appointment, even in the face of threats from both Israel and the US.

It’s difficult to gauge the public opinion so late in the night here in Iran, and internet and communication disruptions add to that challenge. But what we have seen so far is only support for this appointment.

Top Republican lawmaker slams Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment

US Senator Lindsey Graham says Iran’s selection of the slain Ali Khamenei’s son to succeed him is “not the change we’re looking for”.

“I believe it’s just a matter of time before he meets the same fate as that of his father,” the Republican lawmaker from South Carolina said on X.

Graham has long lobbied for attacks on Iran, and The Wall Street Journal reported last week that he had coached Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on how to lobby Trump for action.

Trump declines to comment on Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment

The Times of Israel reports that the US president has refused to comment on the Iranian appointment during an interview, only saying: “We’ll see what happens.”

According to the Israeli outlet, Trump said the decision to end the war on Iran will be a “mutual” one that he will make with Netanyahu.

“I think it’s mutual… a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account,” he was quoted as saying.

Trump also urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption.

“Bibi Netanyahu should be given that pardon immediately. I think [Herzog is] doing a terrible thing by not giving it. We want Bibi to be focused on the war, not on a ridiculous pardon,” Trump told The Times of Israel, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s selection seen in Israel

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday that any leader chosen by Iran to pursue “Israel’s destruction will be a certain target for assassination – no matter his name or where he hides”.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana echoed the sentiment, saying changing the person doesn’t change the nature of the regime, and that Israel will “deal with a new leadership in the same manner”.

So, taking the Israelis at their word on that, they will be hunting Mojtaba Khamenei like they hunted his father, and they’ll be looking for any opportunity to strike. And if they get the intelligence, they’ll do that.

Going beyond that, the Israelis will be looking at what this says about the health of the Iranian leadership. Essentially, the Iranian government, which is in an existential fight for its own survival, has clearly opted for a continuity figure. This is literally the son of the former supreme leader. Let’s remember that the Iranian Islamic revolution swept away a hereditary monarchy, and now aspects of this current situation now resemble a hereditary system.

So, what does that tell Israel about the health of the Iranian regime? Is this a sign of decay or weakness? Does it give them an opportunity that they can exploit? Could there be something they could work with in regard to the legitimacy of this new figure among the Iranian people? Of course, there are no answers to all of this at the moment. But those are the types of questions that the Israeli government is going to be asking right now.

Trump ‘not happy’ with Iran’s new supreme leader: Report

Fox News anchor Brian Kilmeade says the US president has told him, “I am not happy” with Iran’s selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader.

Trump has yet to comment on the move publicly.

Iran’s top diplomat congratulates Mojtaba Khamenei

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has offered his congratulations to the newly appointed supreme leader.

“We pledge that, in defense of the rights of the great Iranian nation, the advancement of national interests and security, and the realization of the lofty goals of the Islamic revolution, we shall not falter for a moment,” he wrote in a statement on X.

Iran’s military, political leaders unite behind Mojtaba Khamenei

Trump has previously said that he would not be happy with the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei and described him as a lightweight. He has also said that he, as US president, would like to have a say in the process.

For the Iranians, that’s a red line. They are sending a message with this move that it is Iran that decides its own fate and that no foreign power, no matter how powerful it is, can dictate what they should do in terms of their political future.

Almost every political and every security body of the state has expressed complete support for this appointment, including the president, the speaker of the Parliament, the IRGC, the armed forces, the Basij paramilitary body, the Supreme National Security Council, the national Police, and the ministries of Defense and Intelligence.

This is another message of unity from Iran, particularly to the powers that are attacking the country, that their hope of causing an immediate disintegration after the killings that happened on the first day of the war will not take place. The country is united, and succession is assured now.

The Iranian public is now waiting to see their new supreme leader.

Mojtaba Khamenei hasn’t been in the public scene, and his supporters are waiting to see his face, hear his voice, and hear him address the nation. That hasn’t happened until now. And for some, that is strange.

The situation is very precarious in the country, and there might be real difficulties in communicating with the public in a manner that does not compromise his safety.

Big challenges ahead for Iran’s new supreme leader

From Tohid Asadi:

"When it comes to the political and military establishment, messages have been indicative of strong support for the new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who takes office in a very tough situation as the country is dealing with a war triggered by the joint US-Israeli strikes.

That is not the only problem that he is facing. When it comes to domestic aspects, he will have to deal with a crippled economy due to years of international sanctions combined with internal mismanagement.

And when it comes to the social aspect, since the announcement of his appointment, people have gathered in different parts of Tehran. In downtown, supporters gathered to express support for the new supreme leader, also in Enghelab (Revolution) Square – one of the most politically important centres in the city – which has been attacked.

There is a sense of rallying around the flag.

But we have to remember that this is a polarised society. In late December, there were massive protests taking place, initially driven by economic difficulties; however, political and social demands were added to that.

Whether the new supreme leader is going to make a change and deal with all these complexities is something we still need to see."

What Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment means for Iran’s foreign policy

The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s supreme leader is a big gamble with unknown implications for the country’s international standing.

Mojtaba is regarded as more rigid and more ideological than his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has close ties to the IRGC and state bureaucracy.

This reputation as a hard liner, combined with his status as the late supreme leader’s son, could give him greater latitude to make reforms. Most significantly, he has the legitimacy to reform the regime. If anyone else were appointed supreme leader, there could easily have been a legitimacy crisis.

His leadership could now take Iran in two vastly different directions.

He could either double down on his hard line ideology, further polarizing Iran and isolating it regionally, or look for a way out, including by establishing better regional ties and sending signals to the US that Iran is ready to transform.

Head of Iran’s Expediency Council praises appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei

Sadiq Larijani, the head of Iran’s powerful Expediency Council, has joined a chorus of political leaders expressing support for the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s supreme leader.

In comments cited by Iran’s Fars news agency, Larijani said Mojtaba’s appointment helps soothe the public’s distress during the war and reaffirms the need to continue in the “luminous” path of Iran’s first supreme leader, Ruhollah Khomeini.

Pro-Iran groups in Iraq welcome Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment

The Badr Organization, a Shia political party and paramilitary force, said the new leadership represents “blessed continuity of the path of the Islamic revolution”.

The Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction said that choosing Mojtaba Khamenei shows “continuity” and “reinforcement of the Islamic republic’s role as a central pillar in the axis of resistance”.

Kataib Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it reflects a profound understanding “of the existential challenges confronting the nation”.

China says Iran’s choice of supreme leader a domestic issue

China’s Foreign Ministry has reacted to Iran’s naming of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, saying only that it is an internal issue.

“This is a decision by the Iranian side based on its constitution,” spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a news conference.

Yesterday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for respect for Iran’s sovereignty and warned against any external effort to overhaul Iran’s governing system. “Plotting a ‘colour’ revolution or seeking government change will find no popular support,” Wang said.

Putin congratulates Iran’s new supreme leader

Russian ⁠President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on ⁠his appointment as Iran’s new supreme ⁠leader, according to the Kremlin.

Putin said he ‌was confident Khamenei would continue his father’s work “with honour” and unite the Iranian ⁠people “in the face of ⁠severe trials”.

He added that Russia would ⁠continue to stand ⁠by Tehran, saying ⁠he wished to “confirm unwavering support for Tehran ‌and solidarity with our Iranian friends”.

Iran’s new supreme leader ‘coming from the experience of administrating things’

Zohreh Kharazmi, an associate professor at the University of Tehran, says Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has long been the target of character assassination in Western media.

She said that supporters of his father are going to continue to support the new supreme leader and pointed to the scenes of jubilation that followed the announcement of his appointment last night.

“Many believe that [he] has a sophisticated understanding of the systematic complexities: he has worked with the IRGC, with the intelligence community, with the government and ministers,” Kharazmi said, adding that he is seen as someone who can bring stability and maintain the country’s integrity, as well as the balance between the principlist and reformist camps in Iran.

“Everybody knows that he was playing a wider role as the ears and eyes of his father. He was just going through the people, sitting with the regional allies, having a sense of the livelihood challenges that the people have, and also, he worked with the different political factions when his father was alive,” she said.

“He’s coming from the experience of administrating things and having a sort of strategic thought.”

Iran’s new supreme leader like ‘given access to… sensitive information’ during war build-up

Abdullah Al-Arian, an analyst at the Al-Shabaka Policy Network in Qatar, has said that because of the new Iranian supreme leader’s proximity to his late father, he was “probably given access to a lot of sensitive information coming in throughout the course of the build-up to this conflict”.

“In terms of where he exists within the actual internal hierarchy, he’s considered a mid-level cleric, so he did not actually receive the title of ayatollah, which, of course, involves attaining greater credentials, but it’s likely that he will be given that title at some stage in the near future.

“He’s also been described as being particularly close to the leadership of the IRGC and having a particular receptiveness within the remaining structures of power. And so, to a certain extent, I think this signals a continued consolidation of the state, and the ability to continue moving forward along the same plans and ensuring that there’s continuity, even after the killing of Ali Khamenei,” Al-Arian said.

‘Could be some breaks from the past’ with Iran’s new supreme leader

Commenting on the leadership style of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, Abdullah Al-Arian, an analyst at the Al-Shabaka Policy Network in Qatar, said there is a “possibility that there could be some breaks from the past”.

“There is this idea that there is a new leadership now, even if it’s the son of the former supreme leader, and that he might be in a position where he could begin to embark on different policies,” Al-Arian said.

“Maybe this could be an opportunity to also figure out possibilities for reconciliation with some of the Gulf states, or even thinking more long-term about what the possibilities are for any kind of political reforms or changes that might be seen.

“At least not from the perspective of the US or Israel, which, of course, have expressed very maximalist goals about decimating the regime and potentially even fracturing Iran, but something that would be a little bit more acceptable to other parties,” he said.

Iran’s Larijani says Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment causing US, Israel ‘despair’

Iranian security chief Ali Larijani has said that Mojtaba Khamenei’s selection as the next supreme leader has brought Iran “hope” and caused the US and Israel to “despair”.

In a statement shared on his X account, Larijani wrote: “Your selection by the Assembly of Experts as the leader of the Islamic Republic system has caused the hostile and warmongering enemies to despair.”

Hezbollah congratulates Iran’s new supreme leader

Hezbollah has congratulated Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his election as the third supreme leader of Iran, following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a statement, Hezbollah praised Iran’s Assembly of Experts for what it described as the swift election of a new leader despite ongoing attacks by the United States and Israel.

The group said the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei “disappointed and confused” Iran’s enemies, describing it as a message that the Islamic Republic would not be intimidated.

“We in Hezbollah extend our warmest congratulations and blessings on this occasion. We renew our pledge of loyalty to this blessed approach and our steadfastness on the path of allegiance,” it said.

Iran’s Pezeshkian calls selection of new supreme leader a manifestation of people’s will

New comments from the president of Iran about the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader.

In a social media post, he called the selection a manifestation of the people’s will in governance.

Pezeshkian also said Iran’s problems could be solved through Khamenei’s wise leadership and by creating an environment based on trust and public participation.

Trump calls choice of Iran’s new supreme leader ‘a big mistake’

The US president says Iran has “made a big mistake” by choosing Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader after his father was killed in the US-Israel attack.

“I think they made a big mistake” in selecting Mojtaba Khameini, Donald Trump told NBC News.

He earlier described Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son as a “lightweight”.

Trump also said it’s “too soon to talk about” seizing Iran’s oil, but he “doesn’t rule it out”.

Oman’s sultan congratulates new Iranian supreme leader

Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has sent a message to congratulate Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

Oman’s sultan offered his “best wishes for his success and good fortune in assuming his leadership responsibilities in his friendly country” to Khamenei.

Sultan Haitham became the first Arab leader to congratulate the new Iranian supreme leader, who was chosen as successor of his father, who was killed in a US-Israeli air strike last week.

Trump ‘disappointed’ Mojtaba Khamenei is Iran’s new supreme leader

Trump says ⁠he is “disappointed” that ⁠Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the supreme leader of the country.

“We ⁠think it’s going ⁠to lead to just more ⁠of the same problem ⁠for ⁠the country,” Trump told reporters at ‌a news conference in Florida.

When asked ⁠whether the new ⁠leader had a target on his back, Trump said it ‌would be “inappropriate” to say. Israel has said it will attempt to assassinate any new Iranian leader chosen to replace Ayatollah Khamenei.

Trump earlier declined to provide details about his plans for dealing with Mojtaba Khamenei. “Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him,” he said.

Iran fires ‘new wave of missiles’ towards Israel

The Iranian Tasnim news agency says a new wave of missiles has been fired towards Israeli territory in the past hour.

Israeli media says interceptor debris fell in three areas

The Israeli military says the attacks are now over, while Israeli Channel 12 said debris from interceptor missiles fell in at least three areas.

Explosions in Tehran

Sound of new explosions in the Iranian capital reported.

Israel launches attacks on Iran, Lebanon’s Beirut

The Israeli military says it has begun a wave of strikes in central Iran in parallel with attacks on alleged Hezbollah sites in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

Israeli military claims to have struck IRGC sites

It says it carried out a wave of air strikes, hitting several bases and sites belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including its police headquarters and a command centre in Isfahan used by its internal paramilitary force, Basij.

“The strikes were completed as part of the phase of deepening the damage to the core arrays and foundations of the Iranian regime,” the Israeli military said in its latest war update.

It also claimed it carried out air strikes, hitting a rocket engine production facility and multiple launch sites for long-range ballistic missiles.

Israel says missiles launched from Iran, interception effort under way

Israel’s army has detected missiles heading from Iran towards Israel “a short time ago”.

“Defense systems are operating to intercept the threat. In the last few minutes, the Home Front Command has sent advance instructions directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” its statement said on X.

Over 1,255 people killed, 12,000 injured in Iran in past 9 days: Official

Ali Jafarian, Iran’s deputy health minister, said that in Iran during the past nine days:

• More than 12,000 people have been wounded, and 1,255 people have been killed
• The victims’ ages ranged from eight months to 88 years old
• 200 women are among those killed
• 168 children were killed in the Minab elementary school
• 55 healthcare workers were wounded and 11 killed, including four physicians, two nurses and three emergency workers.
• The majority of those killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran have died in explosions.
• The injured people mostly have two types of injuries: burns and crush injuries.
• Iran’s health system is strong enough for the country’s needs.
• Iran has medical universities that cover both health and education. Each province has a system that can work independently if needed. The Ministry of Health is supporting them.
• Pharmaceutical companies are working and producing all the medicines the country needs.

Israeli military detects new incoming Iranian missile attack

Israel’s military says it has identified a new wave of missiles heading from Iran towards Israel.

“Defence systems are operating to intercept the threat”, it said, adding that people in impacted areas will receive mobile phone alerts.

Russia to evacuate second group of its Bushehr nuclear power plant workers from Iran

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom says it is preparing to evacuate the second group of family members and some personnel involved in the construction of Units 2 and 3 of the Bushehr nuclear power plant from Iran to Russia.

According to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Alexey Likhachev, the company’s CEO, told the Strana Rosatom newspaper that the transportation of the group to “a safe location” will happen “soon”.

“Our priority in the current situation in Iran is to ensure the safety of Russian personnel working on the construction of Units 2 and 3 of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. This number amounts to more than 600 people,” he was quoted as saying.

“For obvious reasons, the main construction work on the site has been temporarily suspended. At the same time, some personnel are engaged in servicing and maintaining equipment, as well as completing work that cannot be stopped immediately,” he added.

“We have completed preparations for the second stage of workforce optimisation, namely, the evacuation of family members and some personnel to Russia. We will be transporting them to a safe location shortly,” Likhachev said.

Iranian missiles trigger sirens in multiple Israeli cities, from Haifa to Dimona

Sirens have sounded in several areas of Israel. Unlike previous times, this time, the Iranian strikes are targeting both southern and northern Israel.

Sirens sounded in the areas of Tel Arad and Dimona, along the Negev, where the nuclear research centre is located, as well as the western Negev in the south. They also sounded in the north, from the city of Haifa to Tiberias, the Jezreel Valley, the city of Beisan, and the Lower Galilee.

These sirens were triggered after missiles launched from Iran were detected, according to warnings and a statement issued by the Israeli army.

Usually, an early warning is issued first. Then, after several minutes – typically five to six minutes, sometimes more – the sirens begin sounding in the targeted areas. This is usually followed by the sound of explosions, either from missile interceptions or from missiles landing.

Baghaei says US, Israel ‘violated all international norms’

Esmaeil Baghaei said the US-Israeli attacks on the country have put all international laws at risk.

“They have violated all international norms and practices,” he said.

Israeli rescue service treats man in serious condition due to shrapnel injuries

The Israeli rescue service says its crew is providing medical treatment to a 30-year-old man in serious condition due to shrapnel injuries.

The incident took place in central Israel, it added.

It comes after the Israeli army said it had identified a new wave of missiles heading from Iran towards Israel.

One person killed due to attack on central Israel

One person has been killed and two others injured at the site of an attack in the Yehud area in central Israel, according to the country’s Magen David Adom ambulance service.

IRGC claims to have downed drones over Tehran, Bushehr province

Iran’s IRGC claims it has downed several incoming drones, one over the capital, Tehran, and two near the towns of Jam and Khormoj in the southeastern Bushehr province.

In a statement cited by the Fars news agency, the IRGC said the drones were “intercepted and destroyed” by their “advanced modern defence systems under the control of the country’s integrated air defence network”.

Israel announces new wave of attacks on Tehran, Isfahan and southern Iran

Israeli military forces have “just begun a wide-scale wave of strikes against the infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran, Isfahan, and southern Iran”, according to the army.

The statement published on Telegram provides no other details.

The Israeli armed belligerent heavily relies on Telegram to bypass algorithms. Unlike X, which uses engagement-based algorithm, Telegram delivers messages chronologically. Then, Telegram operates with very loose content moderation compared to X.

Israeli attack on Iran’s Isfahan wounds 3: Report

The Israeli army announced a new wave of attacks on Iran, including on Isfahan.

Now, Iran’s Mehr news agency is reporting that three people were injured in Isfahan, and two are still trapped under the rubble. The attack targeted the Isfahan governorate building, it added.

The agency also posted a video showing smoke rising from the vicinity of the city’s Imam Square.

Latest casualties in Israel drive home war’s growing domestic impact

Israel’s ambulance service says that one person has been killed [from the impact of an Iranian missile attack]. At least two others are wounded.

That gives you an idea about the impact, about the dangers facing Israelis and others living inside Israel.

All in all, since the war with Iran started, more than 2,000 people have been hospitalized in Israel. About 100 of them are still in hospitals.

‘Biggest spoiler’ Israel stands to benefit from ‘Middle East fragmentation’

Bader al-Saif, a professor of history at Kuwait University, has described the Iranian practice of delegating control of missile systems to individual field commanders as a “dangerous thing.”

“That’s why we would like to see some kind of order and sense coming through from Iran. It’s difficult when they’re under war and under attack, no doubt,” he told said.

“But let me make one point very clear: We need to work on our Gulf–Iran ties, irrespective of what happens between the US, Israel and Iran. I think we have that in our system across the Gulf, to work more on these relationships. We’ve been working very hard on them in the past.”

Al-Said noted there are “many spoilers” in this war, singling out Israel as the biggest of them all.

“They stand to benefit from the fragmentation, the chaos and the war that will happen and unfold in the Middle East,” he said.

“So I think by focusing on that joint target, and by not taking their wrath onto the Gulf states, they can come to a better focus on their objectives. Going all out is not going to serve their interests, and it’s not going to serve anyone’s interests,” added al-Saif.

Rockets fall in several areas of central Israel: Reports

Rockets have fallen in several areas of central Israel.

Sirens going off almost nonstop because of rocket fire: Israel

The military censor has not cleared information for publication yet, but we can tell you eyewitnesses report plumes of smoke from several areas of impact.

The area targeted in central Israel is where about 44 percent of the population lives. This is where the Ben Gurion Airport is, where several military bases are, the Ministry of Defense and Mossad headquarters.

This is a very strategic area for Israel

Alarms and sirens are going off almost nonstop in Haifa and the northern communities because of rocket fire from Iran or Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announces new missile attack on Israel

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has carried out new missile strikes on central and northern Israel.

Local media reported explosions going off along with alert sirens.

Israel media ‘blackout’ on attacks as military censor targets reporters

Throughout this war, the military censor has been adamant.

It has imposed basically an information blackout on where these missiles and rockets are falling and how many have been fired by Iran or Hezbollah. It is having authorities arrest journalists who are deemed to have said too much on the air.

Meanwhile, two people have been killed today in Israel in an area close to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

Some of the missiles Iran is firing have cluster warheads, which means they splinter and have a wide geographic scope and can create a lot of damage.

It takes emergency crews a long time to comb through the targeted area to make sure there’s no unexploded ordnance.

Israeli army claims it struck IRGC drone headquarters in Iran

The Israeli military says it has carried out another wave of strikes.

In a statement on X, the military claimed the air force hit dozens of sites linked to the Iranian government in several locations across Iran, including what it described as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) drone headquarters.

It said drones had previously been launched from the facility towards Israel, and additional ones prepared for launch were stored there.

Several drone storage sites and air defense systems were also targeted, the Israeli military added.

‘What happens to Iranian society once bombs stop falling?’

Alan Eyre, a senior US negotiator on the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, says the US and Israel might have different goals in their war against Iran.

“It seems like Israel’s war goal is the collapse of the Iranian state, and the United States has been far less clear about what its goals are to stop military action,” said Eyre, now a diplomatic fellow at the Middle East Institute, based in Washington, DC.

Eyre said it is possible the war will stop “in four to six weeks”.

“President Trump, based on his own internal reasoning, will declare victory and move to another issue,” he said. “[But] what happens to Iranian society once the bombs stop falling?”

Three students killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran

Three students have been killed during the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran’s Lorestan province, state news agency Tasnim reports.

According to the report, Mohammad Saleh S Saket, a fourth-grade student at Azadegan Elementary School, Amir Ali Cheraghi, a seventh-grade student at Ostad Ovesta High School, and Anahid Rashno, a second-grade student at the late Rahimi School, were killed in strikes.

Rashno was killed along with her mother, it said.

At least 40 Iranians killed in massive attack on eastern Tehran

A huge blast in the capital has been reported.

Authorities say at least 40 people have been killed in the massive attack in the east of Tehran.

Other major cities have also been targeted today, including Isfahan, and there are concerns there because of its proximity to nuclear facilities. There are also reports saying that the governor’s office has been hit.

An ancient palace, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was also bombed and heavily damaged.

Israel’s Smotrich says soldier son wounded after attack near Lebanon

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says shrapnel tore through his son’s liver during an attack near the Lebanese border that wounded eight Israeli soldiers.

In a post on X, Smotrich said a mortar round was launched towards the soldiers on the Lebanese border on Friday. “One of them is my beloved son – Benya Hebron,” he wrote.

The far-right Israeli cabinet member said shrapnel “penetrated his back and stomach” and he was rushed to hospital.

“By the grace of God, one of the shrapnel tore through his liver and lodged in the wall of the largest blood vessel in his stomach. If, God forbid, it had been damaged, the situation would have been much worse,” he said.

Iran shaken by ‘most intense’ night of air bombardment

From Mohammed Vall, Tehran.

" We can say this is by far one of the most heavily intense nights in Tehran in terms of air bombardment.

Over the last couple of hours, there have been a series of explosions – you can’t even count them – huge explosions that rocked even the windows of our office here.

We have also news that there are equally large explosions in Karag, north of Tehran. As we always say, we don’t have the details, we don’t have the information, the government keeps that information until they decide how to release it and how much of it to be released.

I don’t know if any cameras here in the office have been able to capture both explosions, because we didn’t see them directly from our windows.

Also, the air defence systems have been very active tonight around Tehran. That’s not a scene we see every night, but we have seen it tonight – flashes in the air, particularly in the east of Tehran.

There has been very intense bombardment in Isfahan that targeted the governor’s office there, also targeted an ancient royal palace that is registered as a UNESCO heritage site.

In Tabriz, news of blasts, in Karag, too, and in Isfahan. Some report that the blasts in Isfahan were close to nuclear sites there. The IAEA is saying that most of the stocks of the enriched uranium in Iran are stored in Isfahan underground, but we don’t have anything to verify that.

Tehran is the centre of the bombardment today – east, west and south, during the day and over the night.

On the other hand, the defiance is continuing on the part of the army and the Revolutionary Guard. They have launched the 33rd wave of the promised operation, and they have said in a statement that starting from now, they will not launch any missile that is lighter than 1,000kg (2,200lbs).

Some of these missiles have been launched against Israel, according to the information we have from the Revolutionary Guard, and they are talking about heavier and heavier missiles being launched on targets across the region. "