Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as Iran’s new supreme leader as the war enters its tenth day. The decision was announced on Sunday by the clerical body responsible for selecting Iran’s highest authority, prompting swift declarations of allegiance from Iranian institutions and politicians.
The appointment could escalate the conflict, as US President Donald Trump had previously described Mojtaba Khamenei as an “unacceptable” choice. Trump earlier stated that Iran’s next supreme leader would “not last long” without his approval. When asked about the appointment in an interview with the Times of Israel, Trump said: “We’ll see what happens.”
On Monday, the Israeli military announced strikes targeting “regime infrastructure” in central Iran, the first such operation since the new leader’s appointment. Strikes also targeted Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran and its proxies launched attacks, including rocket and drone strikes near Baghdad’s international airport, a drone strike on a US base near Erbil, and an attack on Bahrain’s Sitra island that wounded 32 people, including a two-month-old baby.
Iranian state media displayed a projectile launched at Israel bearing the slogan “At your command, Sayyid Mojtaba.” Yemen’s Houthi rebels welcomed the appointment, calling it a pivotal moment. The elevation marks the first father-to-son succession since the 1979 revolution, sparking debate about dynastic rule in a state founded to overthrow hereditary monarchy.
Iran’s political and security establishment rallied behind the new leader. Top security official Ali Larijani called for unity, the armed forces pledged allegiance, and the Revolutionary Guards declared readiness to follow him. The Israeli military, however, posted on X that it would pursue every successor of Ali Khamenei and anyone who sought to appoint one.
