Tehran (TDI): Iran launched a new wave of missile strikes on Israel early Monday, with the attacks carried out in the name of the Islamic Republic’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
His appointment comes days after the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint strikes by the United States and Israel.
Nine days after the attacks that plunged the region into war, senior Shia clerics gathered to select the country’s third supreme leader since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Iran’s state television broadcast the announcement from the 88-member Assembly of Experts, confirming the 56-year-old cleric as the new leader of the Islamic Republic.
The statement said the decision was made unanimously despite what it described as “aggression” by Washington and Israel. Shortly after the announcement, Iranian state media showed a missile reportedly launched toward Israel carrying the message “At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba.”
Explosions were also reported in Qatar, which hosts a major American air base, highlighting the widening scope of the conflict. Meanwhile, Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Netanya reported blasts as missile intercept systems responded to the latest barrage.
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US President Donald Trump had earlier dismissed Mojtaba Khamenei as politically weak and said any successor would face scrutiny. Israeli officials also warned that future Iranian leaders could be targeted if hostilities continued.
The conflict has already begun to affect global energy markets. Oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as regional tensions threaten energy supplies and shipping routes in the Gulf.
Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps quickly pledged loyalty to the new leader, vowing full obedience and readiness to continue operations. Analysts say Mojtaba Khamenei is closely aligned with the Guards and is expected to maintain the hardline policies associated with his father’s rule.
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The conflict has also expanded beyond Iran and Israel. Israeli strikes reportedly targeted locations in Beirut, where members of the Iran-backed Hezbollah were said to be meeting. Lebanese authorities reported casualties following the attack.
Elsewhere in the region, missile and drone attacks have been reported in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, underscoring fears that the conflict could draw in multiple Middle Eastern states.
Humanitarian concerns are also growing as casualties rise across the region. Iran’s health ministry has said hundreds of civilians have been killed and thousands wounded, although the figures have not been independently verified.
Amid the escalating violence, global leaders and religious figures have renewed calls for restraint. Pope Leo XIV urged an end to the fighting, praying that “the roar of the bombs may cease” and that space for dialogue and diplomacy may reopen.
