As Iran on Thursday moved to pick new supreme leader, Israeli defence minister threatened saying whoever it is will be 'a target for elimination.' Israel Katz made the statement on X. "Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people - will be a target for elimination," he wrote.
Israel targeted a building with Iran's Assembly of Experts
Israel targeted a building on Tuesday associated with Iran's Assembly of Experts, which will select the new supreme leader. Israel killed the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a strike Saturday that started the war.
"We will continue to act with full force, together with our American partners, to dismantle the regime's capabilities and create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow and replace it," Katz added.
Mojtaba has been chosen as the successor to his father
Israeli Media had earlier reported that Ayatollah Khamenei's son Mojtaba has been chosen as the successor to his father and will take over as Supreme leader. Senior Israeli officials told Ynet news that the Assembly is expected to formally announce Mojtaba Khamenei as successor in the coming hours. However, no independent confirmation has come from official Iran state media on the development.
Mojtaba was said to have had a major hand in running his late father's office and maintains close ties with the top echelon of the IRGC and the Quds force, said the report.
Israeli Media described Mojtaba has having a more hard-line position than his father and being behind the violent crackdowns on protesters in Iran. In November 2019, the US Treasury Department issued sanctions against Mojtaba.
He was designated for representing the then Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.
IDF says news strikes underway against Hezbollah targets in Beirut
The US Treasury further said that the then Supreme Leader had delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojataba Khamenei, who worked closely with the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and also the Basij Resistance Force (Basij) to advance his father's destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives.
Meanwhile, the IDF said a new wave of strikes is underway against Hezbollah targets in Beirut. The IDF said further details will be provided later. Earlier, IDF issued evacuation warnings for two buildings in Beirut ahead of airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure.
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