{"id":1221,"date":"2026-03-02T17:19:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/?p=1221"},"modified":"2026-03-02T17:19:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:19:41","slug":"israel-hits-tehran-again-after-khameneis-death-as-council-takes-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/?p=1221","title":{"rendered":"Israel Hits Tehran Again After Khamenei\u2019s Death as Council Takes Control","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Israel launched<\/a><\/strong> another round of attacks on Tehran on Sunday, while Iran answered with additional missile barrages across the region, one day after the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei<\/a><\/strong> pushed the Middle East into an even more dangerous phase.<\/p>\n

The exchange of attacks between the United States, Israel and Iran sent shockwaves beyond the battlefield, affecting shipping, aviation and energy markets. Warnings quickly emerged over rising fuel prices, interruptions to Gulf business activity and a broader threat to global economic stability.<\/p>\n

Possible Signs of Hezbollah\u2019s Entry Into the Conflict<\/h4>\n

Early Monday, the Israeli military said it intercepted projectiles launched from Lebanon, a development that may indicate Hezbollah\u2019s first direct move into the expanding conflict.<\/p>\n

The Lebanese armed group, long seen as one of Iran\u2019s most important regional allies, has not officially commented. Reuters said it could not independently verify where the intercepted projectiles came from. Israel and Lebanon had previously agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2024.<\/p>\n

If Hezbollah is becoming involved, the fighting could widen significantly beyond Israel and Iran.<\/p>\n

Trump Says Campaign Will Continue<\/h4>\n

U.S. President Donald Trump<\/a><\/strong> said the military campaign was designed to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, curb its missile capabilities and remove threats to the United States and its allies.<\/p>\n

According to U.S. Central Command, American forces have struck more than 1,000 targets in Iran since the start of the operation.<\/p>\n

In a video posted on Truth Social, Trump said the military action would continue until \u201call our objectives are achieved.\u201d He also claimed the campaign had destroyed Iran\u2019s military command structure, as well as nine naval vessels and a naval facility.<\/p>\n

Trump urged members of Iran\u2019s military and police to surrender, saying those who laid down their weapons would be granted immunity, while those who resisted would face \u201ccertain death.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also repeated his call for Iranians to rise up against their government.<\/p>\n

\u201cI call upon all Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment, to be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country,\u201d Trump said. \u201cAmerica is with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

In separate media interviews, Trump said Iran\u2019s leadership had expressed interest in speaking with him and that he had agreed. He also suggested the military operation could continue for as long as four weeks.<\/p>\n

Still, he has not clearly outlined what Washington\u2019s long-term political goal in Iran would be, even as the country faces a major power vacuum with potentially unpredictable consequences.<\/p>\n

\"Israel<\/p>\n

First U.S. Casualties Confirmed<\/h4>\n

On Sunday, the first American deaths of the campaign were confirmed, including three U.S. service personnel.<\/p>\n

Trump described those killed as \u201ctrue American patriots,\u201d while also warning that more losses were likely as the conflict continues.<\/p>\n

The political risk for the White House is becoming more visible. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks affecting Gulf cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have raised the stakes for Washington at a time when the United States is only months away from midterm elections that will decide control of Congress.<\/p>\n

A Reuters\/Ipsos poll released Sunday found that only about one in four Americans supports the operation.<\/p>\n

If the Strait of Hormuz remains shut for more than a short period, the consequences could quickly reach U.S. consumers, since the waterway carries around 20 percent of the world\u2019s oil supply.<\/p>\n

Israel Claims Air Superiority Over Tehran<\/h4>\n

Late Sunday, the Israeli military said its air force had established aerial superiority over Tehran.<\/p>\n

It said a new wave of air strikes in the capital targeted intelligence compounds, security infrastructure and military command centers.<\/p>\n

An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said Israel\u2019s broader objective is now to weaken Iran\u2019s governing system to the point that it collapses. The same official added that Israel is also acting in ways intended to encourage Iranians to protest in the streets.<\/p>\n

Iran Strikes Back Across the Gulf<\/h4>\n

Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday that they had hit three U.S. and British oil tankers in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. They also claimed attacks on military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain using drones and missiles.<\/p>\n

Shipping data showed large numbers of vessels, including oil and gas tankers, stopping in nearby waters as traders prepared for a likely jump in crude prices.<\/p>\n

Air travel was also severely disrupted. Continuing strikes forced the closure of major airports across the Middle East, including Dubai, the world\u2019s busiest international travel hub, creating one of the most serious aviation disruptions the region has seen in years.<\/p>\n

Iran Activates Temporary Leadership Council<\/h4>\n

Inside Iran, the crisis has become the most serious threat to the state since the 1980\u20131988 war with Iraq.<\/p>\n

President Masoud Pezeshkian said a temporary leadership council had taken over the duties of the supreme leader. The council consists of Pezeshkian, the head of the judiciary and a representative from the powerful Guardian Council.<\/p>\n

The arrangement is intended as an interim measure while Iran confronts the uncertainty created by Khamenei\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

Oman\u2019s foreign ministry said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had signalled that Tehran was open to lowering tensions. However, Araqchi\u2019s own message on X suggested Iran was prepared to continue fighting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had two decades to study defeats of the U.S. military to our immediate east and west,\u201d he wrote. \u201cBombings in our capital have no impact on our ability to conduct war.\u201d<\/p>\n

It remains uncertain how Iran will rebuild its leadership structure in the long term or who could replace Khamenei, who had ruled since 1989 after succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.<\/p>\n

International Reaction and Mounting Alarm<\/h4>\n

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned Khamenei\u2019s killing, describing it as a cynical murder.<\/p>\n

China\u2019s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called the killing a \u201cblatant\u201d assassination.<\/p>\n

As Iran launched more missiles across the region, sirens sounded in Israel late Sunday, including in Tel Aviv, where projectiles were seen crossing the night sky. Additional alerts were triggered in northern Israel early Monday after the launches from Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Lebanon\u2019s presidency said it had been informed by the U.S. ambassador that Israel would not escalate against Lebanon unless hostile actions originated from Lebanese territory.<\/p>\n

Casualties were also reported elsewhere. Israel\u2019s ambulance service said nine people were killed in Beit Shemesh. The United Arab Emirates said three people were killed in Iranian attacks, while Kuwait reported one death.<\/p>\n

Iran Divided in Grief and Celebration<\/h4>\n

Inside Iran, Khamenei\u2019s death produced sharply different reactions.<\/p>\n

Some mourned the longtime leader, while others celebrated, highlighting deep divisions within the country.<\/p>\n

Khamenei had approved a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in January, during which thousands of Iranians were killed in what became the deadliest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.<\/p>\n

State media said Khamenei was in his office during Saturday\u2019s strike. The attack also reportedly killed his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law.<\/p>\n

End of an Era, but Not Necessarily of the System<\/h4>\n

Khamenei ruled Iran for 36 years, shaping it into a powerful anti-U.S. state and expanding its influence across the Middle East through forceful clerical rule and the reach of the Revolutionary Guards.<\/p>\n

Analysts say his death, along with the loss of other top Iranian leaders, represents a severe blow to the Iranian state.<\/p>\n

Even so, experts caution that it does not automatically mean the end of Iran\u2019s clerical establishment or the Revolutionary Guards\u2019 grip on power.<\/p>\n

For now, the country enters a period of extreme uncertainty, with the region watching closely as the conflict widens and the balance of power shifts.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Israel launched another round of attacks on Tehran on Sunday, while Iran answered with additional missile barrages across the region, one day after the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pushed the Middle East into an even more dangerous phase. The exchange of attacks between the United States, Israel and Iran sent shockwaves beyond the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":1,"featured_media":1223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"link","format":"url"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1221"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1224,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1221\/revisions\/1224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}