Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on a building hosting Iran’s Council of Experts, the clerical body responsible for selecting a new supreme leader.
Tehran has been grappling with leadership upheaval following the reported death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The strike in Qom reportedly targeted the assembly of high-ranking Shiite clerics during a critical phase of the succession process, reports said.
The 88-member Council of Experts, which holds constitutional authority to choose Iran’s next supreme leader, was meeting when the Israeli Air Force struck the site, Axios reported.
Details remain unclear, including how many clerics were present and the extent of any casualties or damage.
Iranian state media and government outlets have not provided a full account of the blast, and independent verification on the ground is limited amid ongoing conflict.
The strike comes amid a broader U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began with attacks on Iranian leadership and strategic infrastructure.
In the opening phase of the offensive last weekend, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was reported killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike on his Tehran compound, a development that has heightened tensions in the region.
Iran has since announced an interim leadership council to govern while succession procedures proceed, but the process has been complicated by military escalation and internal unrest.
Analysts say the targeting of the Council of Experts may signal Israel’s intent to disrupt Tehran’s ability to stabilize its regime and select a successor, deepening uncertainty about the future of the Islamic Republic and the broader Middle East conflict.
newsmax.com
