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Several high-ranking commanders and officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in US-Israeli strikes on Tehran, targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. Khamenei's whereabouts remain uncertain.
Iran is in the midst of arguably the biggest attack it has faced in decades as the joint US and Israeli operation continues. Unlike the previous attack, in June 2025, where the US carried out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the current wave of attacks, called Operation Epic Fury, is prolonged and at a much larger scale, posing an existential threat to the theocratic regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
US-Israeli strikes target Khamenei, Pezeshkian
The US-Israeli joint operation also directly targeted the Islamic Republic’s top leadership, including Khamenei himself and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
While US and Israeli officials have confirmed that several high-profile locations in Tehran, including the compound and offices of Ali Khamenei, have been targeted, the Supreme Leader’s fate is unknown.
‘Khamenei was not in Tehran’
However, some reports have claimed that Khamenei was not in Tehran at the time of the strikes and that he had been moved to a secure, undisclosed location beforehand.
Endgame for Khamenei?
The 86-year-old has not been seen in public since January 31, when he visited the shrine of his predecessor Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
He was notably absent from the annual February 8 meeting with Air Force commanders, a ritual he has observed for decades.
Khamenei has dominated Iran for the last three-and-a-half decades since taking on the post for life in 1989 as leader of the Islamic revolution following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
But in recent years, the rising US-Israeli threats and frequent public protests have posed the biggest challenge to his rule. Khamenei was forced to go into hiding during the 12-day war against Israel in June.
Who will succeed Khamenei?
His advanced age and a lack of a succession plan have become a major crisis for the future of the Islamic Republic. Former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed Khamenei. But Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May 2024, which significantly disrupted the regime's long-term succession planning.
Several names, including that of Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the Republic’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, have been making rounds as the possible successor of Ali Khamenei.
Pezeshkian is alive says state media
Along with Khamenei, the US-Israeli strikes also reportedly targeted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. While there were some unverified claims on social media that Pezeshkian was killed in the strike, Iranian state media outlets, including IRNA and Tasnim News Agency, have officially denied reports of his death, stating he is "safe and sound".
Though the two top leaders may have survived, several high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and Islamic Regime political officials have been killed in the strikes on Saturday, an Iranian source close to the establishment told Reuters.
Key Takeaways
- The ongoing US-Israeli operation poses a significant threat to the Iranian regime.
- Khamenei's advanced age and absence raise concerns about succession and stability in Iran.
- Recent leadership losses disrupt Iran's long-term strategic planning.
About the Author
Bobins Vayalil Abraham
Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In ...Read More
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