Missile attacks from Iran early MMondayis targeting Israel and several Gulf nations shortly after the Islamic Republic announced Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader.
The announcement came nine days after joint strikes by United States and Israel killed Iran’s longtime leader Ali Khamenei, an event that has pushed the Middle East into an escalating conflict.
Iranian clerics selected Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s third supreme leader since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, marking a major shift in leadership during one of the region’s most volatile periods.
Soon after the announcement, Israel launched another round of airstrikes, this time targeting infrastructure in central Iran. The widening conflict has already shaken global markets, sending stock prices down while crude oil prices surged by about 30 percent amid fears of supply disruptions.
The conflict also spread across the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones heading toward an eastern oil field, while United Arab Emirates and Kuwait reported missile attacks. Authorities in Bahrain said warning sirens were activated as the threats unfolded.
Iranian state media later broadcast images of a projectile reportedly launched toward Israel carrying the message “At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba,” referencing the country’s new leader.
The escalation comes only weeks after Iranian security forces suppressed nationwide anti-government protests, an operation that reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths.
