US-Israel attacks hit Qom office linked to panel responsible for selecting new supreme leader
Smoke and flames rise from vehicles after shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack landed on a parking lot in Ramat Gan, Israel, in this screenshot from a video obtained from social media. Photo: Reuters
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN:
The fourth day of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran saw intensified bombing in several Iranian cities and Gulf maritime areas, where drones and missiles targeted energy facilities, diplomatic facilities and urban infrastructure, raising global alarm about the widening conflict.
US and Israeli forces attacked a building in Qom linked to the committee responsible for selecting a new supreme leader following the assassination of Ali Khamenei. The strike followed the previous day’s attacks on the organization’s headquarters in Tehran.
Israeli officials described the attacks as a “large-scale wave” of operations focused on Tehran, while Donald Trump said the bombing had caused massive destruction. He claimed that Iran’s potential leadership networks, air defense units and naval capabilities had been largely disabled.
Iranian media reported retaliatory drone and missile attacks on US oil facilities and diplomatic missions in the Gulf. Attacks were launched against US and Israeli positions as tensions escalated into a broader regional confrontation involving multiple maritime and urban targets.
Thick plumes of smoke rose over central Tehran, where several government offices are located. Local reports indicated that the attacks 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 in Tehran suffered severe structural damage after explosions destroyed nearby buildings. Authorities advised residents to evacuate vulnerable areas as security forces increased patrols and enforced emergency movement restrictions.
The main streets of the capital seemed deserted. Police units, armored vehicles and security detachments conducted random inspections of vehicles at crossings. Tehran’s northern shopping districts, usually bustling with shoppers and cafe-goers, remained eerily quiet at night.
The bombing caused widespread shortages of electricity and water, compounding civilian fears. Many families reportedly planned their departure once travel routes reopened, although uncertainty over safe evacuation corridors prevented an 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 that shook their detention ward, their son said. The nuclear watchdog used satellite images indicating damage to the Natanz nuclear facility.
State authorities said 13 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in attacks in Kerman, Iran. Authorities further reported that the cumulative death toll from the ongoing attacks had reached 787, citing data provided by the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
Guards warned of possible escalation. General Ebrahim Jabbari stated that if a major Iranian population or command centers were attacked again, Tehran would retaliate by attacking regional economic infrastructure, potentially widening the disruption in energy corridors.
Retaliatory missile and drone launches were reported in several Gulf states. Qatar said missiles targeting Hamad International Airport were intercepted. In Oman, drones were reported to have attacked the port of Duqm, while debris from intercepted drones sparked fires at oil depots in the United Arab Emirates.
The US embassy in Riyadh issued a warning about possible attacks in Dhahran, home to major Saudi energy facilities. Previous drone activity had briefly sparked fires near diplomatic facilities in the Saudi capital. Senior UN official Volker Turk has expressed dismay at the civilian casualties in the region.
The United States projected confidence about progress on the battlefield. “Almost everything has been destroyed,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House in Washington.
Trump also claimed that two successive waves of attacks had eliminated people considered future candidates for the Iranian leadership. “Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” he said, adding that intelligence reports suggested other targets may have also been eliminated.
Street protests inside Iran failed to materialize despite Washington’s expectations of public unrest. Trump urged Iranians to postpone large demonstrations until security was stabilized, citing historical examples of violent repression as justification for caution during the military campaign.
Diplomatic tensions expanded beyond the Middle East. Trump criticized the United Kingdom for not formally joining the attacks while allowing US forces to use British facilities. He also threatened to impose trade restrictions on Spain following its refusal to provide access to military bases.
Economic impact
The economic impact of the war spread globally as energy prices rose and financial markets weakened. Several nations restricted access to airspace, forcing thousands of flights to be cancelled, creating one of the biggest disruptions to international travel since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Production was suspended at certain chemical processing plants in Qatar, including the processing of urea, polymers, methanol and aluminum. The move caused an increase of about 2% in aluminum prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Maritime traffic also faced security pressures near the Strait of Hormuz. Around 30 South Korean commercial vessels were reported to be sailing nearby under heightened naval surveillance due to fear of possible maritime attacks.
Israeli diplomacy pushed for Tehran’s international isolation, but China warned that continued fighting risked long-term geopolitical instability. India also warned that a regional war could disrupt global trade and energy 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 denied seeking talks, although Tehran’s mission to the UN called for Security Council intervention.
Despite the destruction and casualties, Trump insisted the campaign was aimed at preventing the rise of a future Iranian leadership seen as hostile to Western interests. “The worst case scenario would be to replace one bad leader with another,” he said, defending the strategic intent of the operation.
