US-Israeli strikes hit Qom office attached to panel responsible for selecting new supreme leader
Smoke and flames rise from vehicles after shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack fell on a parking lot in Ramat Gan, Israel, in this screenshot from social media video. Photo: Reuters
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN:
The fourth day of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran saw intensified bombardment across several Iranian cities and Gulf maritime zones, with drones and missiles targeting energy installations, diplomatic facilities and urban infrastructure, raising global alarm over the growing conflict.
US and Israeli forces raided a building in Qom linked to the committee responsible for selecting a new supreme leader following the assassination of Ali Khamenei. The strike followed attacks a day earlier on the organization’s headquarters in Tehran.
Israeli officials described the strikes as a “large-scale wave” of operations centered on Tehran, while Donald Trump said the bombardment had caused massive destruction. He claimed that Iran’s potential leadership network, air defense units and naval capabilities had been largely disabled.
Iranian media reported retaliatory drone and missile strikes on oil facilities and US diplomatic missions in the Gulf. Attacks were launched against US and Israeli positions as tensions escalated into a wider regional confrontation involving multiple maritime and urban targets.
Thick columns of smoke rose over central Tehran, where several government offices are located. Local reports indicated that strikes also hit one of the city’s two airports, including Mehrabad International Airport, disrupting civil air traffic and emergency logistics.
Central districts such as Ferdowsi Square in Tehran suffered major structural damage after explosions shattered nearby buildings. Authorities advised residents to evacuate vulnerable zones as security forces increased patrols and enforced emergency movement restrictions.
Major streets across the capital seemed deserted. Police units, armored vehicles and security departments conducted random vehicle inspections at intersections. North Tehran’s commercial districts, normally packed with shoppers and cafe-goers, remained eerily silent at night.
Widespread shortages of electricity and water followed the bombardment, exacerbating civilian fears. Many families reportedly planned to leave once travel routes reopened, although uncertainty about safe evacuation corridors prevented immediate mass movement from the city.
Iranian media also confirmed damage at Bushehr International Airport. Separately, a British couple jailed in Tehran’s Evin prison described explosions that rocked their detention wing, their son said. nuclear watchdog used satellite images indicating damage to the Natanz Nuclear Facility.
State authorities claimed 13 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in attacks in Kerman, Iran. Officials further reported that the cumulative death toll from ongoing strikes had reached 787, citing data provided by the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
The guards warned of potential escalation. General Ebrahim Jabbari stated that if major Iranian populations or command centers were hit again, Tehran would retaliate by targeting regional economic infrastructure, potentially extending disruption across energy corridors.
Retaliatory drone and missile launches were reported in several Gulf states. Qatar said missiles aimed at Hamad International Airport were intercepted. In Oman, drones reportedly hit the port of Duqm Port, while debris from intercepted drones caused fires at oil storage facilities in the United Arab Emirates.
The US Embassy in Riyadh issued a warning of possible attacks in Dhahran, home to major Saudi energy installations. Earlier drone activity had briefly ignited fires near diplomatic facilities in the Saudi capital. Senior UN official Volker Turk has expressed shock at civilian casualties in the region.
The United States expected confidence in progress on the battlefield. – Almost everything has been knocked out, Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House in Washington.
Trump also claimed that two consecutive waves of attacks had eliminated people who were considered future Iranian leadership candidates. “Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” he said, adding that intelligence reports suggested that additional targets may have also been eliminated.
Street protests in Iran failed despite Washington’s expectation of public unrest. Trump urged Iranians to delay large demonstrations until security stabilized, citing historical examples of violent repression as reasons for caution during the military campaign.
Diplomatic tensions widened beyond the Middle East. Trump criticized the UK for not formally joining the strikes while allowing US forces to use British facilities. He also threatened trade restrictions against Spain after the country’s refusal to grant military base access.
Economic impact
The war’s economic impact spread globally as energy prices rose and financial markets weakened. Several nations restricted access to airspace, forcing thousands of flights to be canceled, creating one of the biggest international travel disruptions since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Production at certain downstream chemical plants in Qatar was suspended, including urea, polymer, methanol and aluminum processing. The move triggered a rise of around 2% in aluminum prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Maritime traffic also faced security pressures near the Strait of Hormuz. About 30 South Korean commercial vessels were reported sailing nearby under heightened naval surveillance due to fears of potential ship attacks.
Israeli diplomacy pushed for international isolation of Tehran, but China warned that continued fighting risks long-term geopolitical instability. India also warned that regional war could disrupt global energy and trade supply chains.
Trump said it was “too late” for Iran to avoid war through negotiations, signaling a tougher US stance despite earlier openness to dialogue. Iranian officials refused to seek talks, although Tehran’s UN mission called for Security Council intervention.
Despite the destruction and casualties, Trump insisted the campaign was aimed at preventing the emergence of a future Iranian leadership seen as hostile to Western interests. “The worst case would be to replace one bad leader with another,” he said, defending the operation’s strategic intent.
