Mojtaba Khamenei emerges Iran’s Supreme leader after father’s death as war escalates. By Dally Iyamu

Mojtaba Khamenei emerges Iran’s Supreme leader after father’s death as war escalates

Mojtaba Khamenei has emerged as the new Supreme Leader of Iran after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, as authorities move swiftly to maintain leadership continuity amid the ongoing war involving the United States and Israel.

Mojtaba, the second son of the late cleric, was reportedly chosen by Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts to succeed his father after the elder Khamenei was killed last week during the ongoing conflict between the United States and Israel.

Following the announcement, senior Iranian government officials, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Assembly of Experts publicly pledged their allegiance to Mojtaba and urged citizens across the country to support the new leadership.

Meanwhile, hostilities between Iran and the United States–Israel alliance have intensified, with the two allies reportedly carrying out fresh strikes on Iranian territory.

According to reports, US and Israeli forces targeted oil storage depots and refining facilities in Tehran, marking the first time such strategic energy infrastructure in the capital has come under direct attack during the conflict.

Israel also claimed responsibility for an attack on a hotel in Beirut, which reportedly killed five people, including three alleged commanders of the IRGC’s Quds Force.

In another development, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) disclosed that a seventh American soldier died from injuries sustained during an Iranian strike on a US military base in Saudi Arabia.

Iran has also carried out retaliatory operations across the region. One such drone attack reportedly caused material damage to a water desalination plant in Bahrain.

Amid the escalating confrontation, an Israeli military spokesman warned that the ongoing US–Israel operations against Iran could persist “for a long time,” signalling the possibility of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.