Iran faces leadership transition amid intensified US and Israeli strikes

Iran is confronting a leadership transition and escalating military conflict following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders in strikes attributed to the United States and Israel.

Iranian authorities have activated constitutional mechanisms to maintain continuity, while armed forces have launched retaliatory operations across the region, says Al Jazeera.

Leadership transition under way

In the wake of Khamenei's death, authorities announced the formation of a temporary three-member governing council comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi. Pezeshkian said the council "has begun its work" after Khamenei's death.

The Assembly of Experts is responsible for selecting the next Supreme Leader. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said "everything is in order" regarding constitutional procedures and predicted the selection of a new leader "should be complete within days."

Surviving political figures, including former presidents Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Khatami, called for unity. Khatami condemned the killing of Khamenei as an attempt to harm Iran's "independence and unity." Hassan Khomeini praised the late leader as a "hero of the Iranian people and Muslims around the world," emphasizing that defending the "holy establishment of the Islamic Republic" remains paramount.

Authorities declared 40 days of mourning. Internet connectivity has been almost entirely blocked nationwide for several days.

Escalating military exchanges

The conflict has expanded since the reported killing of Khamenei and other senior officials. US and Israeli forces have continued airstrikes on Tehran and other cities, targeting military sites. US President Donald Trump said that "strikes on Iran will continue until all US objectives are achieved." Analysts cited Al Jazeera video content noting that "Trump chose an avoidable war over a good deal."

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) described its retaliatory strikes as "the heaviest offensive operations in the history of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic against occupied lands and the bases of American terrorists." Army chief Amir Hatami pledged to continue defending the country, says Al Jazeera.

Security Chief Ali Larijani warned in an all-caps post on X: "TODAY WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT THEY HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE." He clarified that while Iran does not wish to attack neighbors, it considers US bases in those countries to be "American territory." Police Chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said his forces are "prepared to fight for 'public safety'" amid calls from the US and Israel for Iranians to protest against the establishment.

The conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Israel carried out strikes following rocket fire from Hezbollah.

Senior military casualties

Among those reported killed were IRGC Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defence Council chief Ali Shamkhani and police intelligence chief Gholam-Reza Rezaeian. Reports regarding the death of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remain unconfirmed and have been disputed by state media.

Despite the losses, senior officials sought to project institutional continuity. Top IRGC commander Ali Akbar Ahmadian said the Supreme Defence Council would continue its work despite the deaths of its members. Former President Rouhani expressed support for the armed forces and the temporary governing council to ensure preservation of the "holy establishment."

Civilian impact

The strikes have also resulted in civilian casualties. More than 150 people were reported killed in a strike on a school in the city of Minab. Two children were reported killed in a strike near Ahmadinejad's residence in Tehran, says Al Jazeera.

Analysts say Iran's political and military structures are designed to maintain continuity in the event of the Supreme Leader's death, reducing the likelihood of immediate institutional collapse even amid sustained external pressure.