Israel on Tuesday carried out an airstrike on a building in Qom that houses Iran’s Council of Experts, according to an Israeli defence official cited by various media reports. The council is the body responsible for selecting Iran’s new supreme leader. The strike reportedly happened while members were counting votes to choose a successor after former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in earlier Israeli strikes. It is not yet clear how many of the council’s 88 members were inside the building at the time or how much damage was caused.
An Israeli official reportedly said the goal was simple, “We wanted to prevent them from picking a new supreme leader.”
More strikes in Tehran
Israeli and US forces also hit key government buildings in Tehran. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strikes targeted the Presidential Office and the building of the Supreme National Security Council. The IDF described the compound as one of the most important and heavily guarded leadership centres in Iran. It said senior political and security officials met there to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme and security strategy.
Rising tensions across the region
Since the killing of Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders, Iran has increased its attacks on Israeli and US targets in the Middle East.
On Tuesday, a drone struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, causing a fire and minor damage, according to Saudi authorities. The US Embassy in Kuwait was also hit and has been temporarily closed.
US President Donald Trump warned that military operations could continue for weeks. “From the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to continue far beyond that,” he said.
Also Read: New Iran Defence Minister Seyed Majid Ebn Al-Reza killed in Israeli strikes: Reports
