ALBAWABA- Israeli forces carried out a targeted airstrike on a building in Qom, Iran, onTuesday, reportedly striking a site where the Assembly of Experts was convening to discuss the selection of a successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian and regional media reports.
Some sources described the strike as having flattened the structure. However, there has been no official confirmation of casualties or details about whether the meeting was underway at the time of the attack.
The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body tasked with appointing and overseeing Iran’s supreme leader, had been expected to begin deliberations following Khamenei’s assassination by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.
In the interim, Iran established a temporary three-member Leadership Council composed of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and cleric Alireza Arafi to oversee state affairs until a permanent successor is appointed.
The strike is the latest development in an escalating U.S.-Israeli military campaign that began on February 28 with coordinated airstrikes in Tehran that killed Khamenei and dozens of senior Iranian officials. Among those reported killed were Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, IRGC Commander Mohammad Pakpour, and senior adviser Ali Shamkhani.
U.S. President Donald Trump has characterized the campaign as aimed at regime change, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue targeting Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure.
Iran has responded with “Operation True Promise 4,” launching missiles and drones at U.S. bases in the Gulf, Israeli targets, and regional energy facilities. The retaliation has disrupted Qatar’s LNG production, affected Saudi oil infrastructure, and heightened tensions in key shipping lanes, pushing global oil prices sharply higher.
