US-Israeli strikes hit Qom office linked to panel responsible for selecting a new supreme leader
Smoke and flames rise from vehicles after shrapnel from an Iranian missile strike fell on a parking lot in Ramat Gan, Israel, in this screengrab from video obtained from social media. 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 where, drones and missiles targeted energy installations, diplomatic facilities and urban infrastructure, stoking global alarm over the widening conflict.
US and Israeli forces struck a building in Qom, linked to the committee responsible for selecting a new supreme leader after the assassination of Ali Khamenei. The strike followed attacks a day earlier on the organisation’s main headquarters in Tehran.
Israeli officials described the attacks as a “large-scale wave” of operations centred on Tehran, while Donald Trump said the bombardment had caused massive destruction. He claimed Iran’s prospective leadership networks, air defence units and naval capabilities had largely been disabled.
Iranian media reported retaliatory drone and missile attacks on oil facilities and US diplomatic missions in the Gulf. Strikes were launched against American and Israeli positions as tensions escalated into a broader 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 strikes also hit one of the city’s two airports, including Mehrabad International Airport, disrupting civilian air traffic and emergency logistics.
Central districts such as Ferdowsi Square, Tehran, suffered heavy 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 appeared deserted. Police units, armoured vehicles and security detachments conducted random vehicle inspections at intersections. Northern Tehran’s commercial districts, usually crowded with shoppers and cafe visitors, remained eerily silent at night.
Widespread electricity and water shortages followed the bombardment, worsening civilian fears. Many families reportedly planned departure once travel routes reopened, although uncertainty over safe evacuation corridors prevented immediate mass movement from the city.
Iranian media also confirmed damage at Bushehr International Airport. Separately, a British couple imprisoned in Evin Prison, Tehran, described explosions shaking their detention wing, their son said. nuclear watchdog used satellite imagery indicating damage at Natanz Nuclear Facility.
State authorities claimed 13 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in attacks in Kerman, Iran. Officials further reported 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 population or command centres were struck again, Tehran would retaliate by targeting regional economic infrastructure, potentially widening disruption across energy corridors.
Retaliatory drone and missile launches were reported across several Gulf states. Qatar said missiles targeting Hamad International Airport were intercepted. In Oman, drones reportedly struck the port of Duqm Port, while debris from intercepted drones caused fires at oil storage in the United Arab Emirates.
The US embassy in Riyadh issued a warning about 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 over civilian casualties in the region.
The United States projected confidence regarding battlefield progress. “Just about everything’s 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 successive attack waves had eliminated individuals considered future Iranian leadership candidates. “Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” he said, adding that intelligence reports suggested further targets might also have been eliminated.
Street protests inside Iran failed to materialise despite Washington’s expectation of public unrest. Trump urged Iranians to postpone large demonstrations until security stabilised, citing historical examples of violent crackdown as justification for caution during the military campaign.
Diplomatic tensions expanded beyond the Middle East. Trump criticised the United Kingdom for not formally joining the strikes while allowing US forces to use British facilities. He also threatened trade restrictions against Spain after its refusal to provide military base access.
Economic impact
The war’s economic impact spread globally as energy prices rose and financial markets weakened. Several nations restricted airspace access, forcing thousands of flights to be cancelled, creating one of the largest international travel disruptions since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Production at certain downstream chemical plants in Qatar was suspended, including urea, polymer, methanol and aluminium processing. The move triggered a roughly 2% increase in aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Maritime traffic also faced security pressure near the Strait of Hormuz. Around 30 South Korean commercial vessels were reported sailing nearby under heightened naval surveillance due to fears of potential shipping attacks.
Israeli diplomacy pushed for international isolation of Tehran, but China warned that continued fighting risked long-term geopolitical instability. India also cautioned that regional war could disrupt global energy and trade supply chains.
Trump said it was “too late” for Iran to avoid war through negotiations, signalling a harder US stance despite earlier openness to dialogue. Iranian officials denied seeking talks, although Tehran’s UN mission called for Security Council intervention.
Despite destruction and casualties, Trump insisted the campaign aimed to prevent emergence of a future Iranian leadership seen as hostile to Western interests. “The worst case would be replacing one bad leader with another,” he said, defending the operation’s strategic intent.
