Israeli forces struck a high-level gathering of Iran’s Supreme Council on Tuesday, targeting officials meeting to choose a successor to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a senior Israeli official told Fox News. "Israel struck while they were counting the votes for the appointment of the supreme leader," the official said.
The attack comes days after Operation Epic Fury killed dozens of top Iranian officials in Tehran, including Khamenei.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social in his announcement. “This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.”
On Saturday, Israeli forces targeted locations in Tehran where senior Iranian defense officials had gathered. The strike killed more than 40 officials, including Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council; Mohammad Pakpour, the IRGC commander; Saleh Asadi, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Intelligence Directorate; Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh; and Mohammad Shirazi, Khamenei’s Military Bureau chief since 1989.
Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also killed. Ahmadinejad led Iran from 2005 to 2013 and previously called for Israel to “be wiped off the map.”
Iran’s Assembly of Experts had been preparing to appoint a new supreme leader following Khamenei’s death. Tuesday’s strike disrupts that process, as the country’s top clerics and officials navigate the leadership vacuum amid ongoing US and Israeli strikes.
The attack comes days after Operation Epic Fury killed dozens of top Iranian officials in Tehran, including Khamenei.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social in his announcement. “This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.”
On Saturday, Israeli forces targeted locations in Tehran where senior Iranian defense officials had gathered. The strike killed more than 40 officials, including Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council; Mohammad Pakpour, the IRGC commander; Saleh Asadi, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Intelligence Directorate; Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh; and Mohammad Shirazi, Khamenei’s Military Bureau chief since 1989.
Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also killed. Ahmadinejad led Iran from 2005 to 2013 and previously called for Israel to “be wiped off the map.”
Iran’s Assembly of Experts had been preparing to appoint a new supreme leader following Khamenei’s death. Tuesday’s strike disrupts that process, as the country’s top clerics and officials navigate the leadership vacuum amid ongoing US and Israeli strikes.
