The Assembly of Experts officially confirms the appointment of Mujtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader. Meanwhile, Israel reports further deaths.
Iran's Assembly of Experts appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader on Sunday. The 56-year-old succeeds his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli attack on February 28. Observers believe Mojtaba Khamenei will pursue a tougher course than his father and is close to the Revolutionary Guard.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin (independent) congratulated Khamenei on his new position on Monday. He said he was confident that Khamenei would continue his father's work "with honor." Putin assured Iran of his "unwavering support and solidarity.".
Trump: We'll see what happens
Israel had previously made it clear that it would kill both Khamenei's successor and the members of the electoral commission. Even before a successor was announced, US President Donald Trump (Republican) claimed the right to influence the selection. "If he doesn't get our approval, he won't last long."
In an interview with the Israeli news site "Times of Israel" after the appointment was announced, he initially declined to comment on Khamenei. "We'll see what happens," he said. He had previously described Khamenei as a "lightweight.".
Family members killed
The current fate of the new Supreme Leader is unclear. According to the Israelis, he was wounded in a targeted attack. Iranian state media reported that, in addition to his father, other family members were killed in the initial Israeli strike, including his mother, wife, a son, and a sister.
Even before the current fighting, Khamenei was considered the likely successor to the office of Supreme Leader. He was already seen as his father's right-hand man, pulling the strings behind the scenes and taking over official duties from his father.
Sanctions imposed
The US imposed sanctions on him in 2019, during Trump's first term. One of the reasons cited by the Treasury Department was his close cooperation with the Revolutionary Guard and Basij militias "to further his father's destabilizing regional ambitions and repressive domestic goals.".
The Basij volunteer militia is an important arm of the Revolutionary Guard. It is, among other things, responsible for the brutal suppression of the protests in Iran, in which, according to some estimates, more than 30,000 people were killed at the beginning of the year.
More Israelis killed
Meanwhile, the fighting continues. On Monday, two Israelis were killed by debris from an Iranian missile at a construction site in Yehud, near Tel Aviv. Both men were around 40 years old.
On Monday, a motorcyclist also died following an accident on Sunday in Kiryat Mozkin near Haifa. According to eyewitnesses, the 22-year-old lost control of his vehicle during a missile alert. Doctors at Rambam Hospital were unable to save him.
Also on Sunday, two soldiers, aged 38 and 20, were killed in an attack by the terrorist group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Both belonged to an engineering unit.
Multiple missile alerts
Over the weekend, Israel was subjected to frequent waves of attacks from Iran and Lebanon. Several people were injured. For example, a woman on her way to a bunker was struck in the head by flying debris.
In addition, there was damage to infrastructure such as power lines. On Monday, several locations experienced power outages. In Cholon, a residential building collapsed after being hit by a projectile, but no one was injured.
The Israeli army reported carrying out several airstrikes on regime targets in Tehran, Isfahan, and southern Iran overnight into Monday. Over the weekend, attacks on Iranian oil fields made headlines. Massive explosions were seen, and the following day, the sky over Tehran was darkened with oil and smoke.
In Lebanon, Israeli forces targeted further Hezbollah and Revolutionary Guard sites. On Sunday night, the navy reported killing five high-ranking Iranian commanders in a Beirut hotel. They were said to be members of the Quds Force, the Revolutionary Guard's elite unit responsible for foreign operations. (Israelnetz)
