Khamenei Names Potential Successors Amid Assassination Fears and Escalating Israeli Strikes

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly selected three senior clerics as possible successors as fears mount over a potential assassination during Israel’s intensifying military campaign on Iranian territory.

The 86-year-old leader, now operating from a fortified underground bunker, has also undertaken a major shake-up of the military command structure as the Islamic Republic braces for deeper instability.

According to reports by The New York Times, confirmed by The Jerusalem Post, Khamenei made the succession choices privately—bypassing the traditional selection process overseen by the Assembly of Experts. In a notable departure from longstanding speculation, his son, Mojtaba Khamenei—once seen as the likely heir—was excluded, signaling a shift away from dynastic succession.

Senior Iranian officials, speaking anonymously, revealed that the decision was triggered by a wave of targeted assassinations of top Iranian and Hezbollah figures, widely believed to have been carried out by Israeli operatives in Tehran and other parts of the country.

“This isn’t theoretical succession planning—it’s succession planning under fire,” said a senior regional intelligence official, underscoring the gravity of the threat now facing the regime.

The identities of the chosen clerics remain undisclosed, but they are described as staunch loyalists aligned with Iran’s hardline revolutionary principles. Analysts say Khamenei’s choice to name multiple successors reflects both internal fractures and the urgent need for leadership continuity in a time of crisis.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to target key military, nuclear, and strategic infrastructure across Iran, including in the capital. The strikes—reportedly the most destructive since the Iran-Iraq war—have killed hundreds and severely damaged installations, surpassing the devastation wrought during Saddam Hussein’s offensives in the 1980s.

As the conflict escalates, Khamenei has largely disappeared from public view, suspending all electronic communications and limiting face-to-face meetings to a single trusted aide in an effort to avoid detection.

U.S. officials are reportedly weighing possible intervention, given that only American bunker-busting weaponry could penetrate Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear facility. In response, Iran has warned it may retaliate against U.S. assets, a move that could ignite an even wider regional conflict.

In a sign of growing desperation, Iran has imposed a nationwide communication blackout—cutting internet access and international calls—in an attempt to block further Israeli infiltration. Authorities have urged citizens to report suspicious behavior and warned collaborators to surrender by Sunday or face execution.