Tehran, Iran – Iran witnessed rapid developments following Israeli reports of an attack targeting the Assembly of Experts building in Qom. This coincided with a meeting reportedly dedicated to choosing a successor to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Israeli Air Force fighter jets carried out a precision strike on the Assembly building while a meeting of approximately 80 senior clerics was underway. The channel described the move as a direct attack on the “top of the leadership pyramid” in the Islamic Republic. According to the Israeli account, the attack came at a sensitive moment, coinciding with the vote to select the new Supreme Leader. The Assembly of Experts is a supreme constitutional body empowered to appoint and dismiss the Supreme Leader. Therefore, any potential attack on it represents a highly sensitive development in the Iranian political landscape.
Iranian denial and conflicting details
In contrast, Iranian authorities were quick to deny that the attack occurred during an official meeting, describing the Israeli reports as “misleading.” However, Iranian media acknowledged that a building belonging to the council in Qom had been bombed. They described it as an “old building” not currently used for major meetings. This discrepancy in accounts raised questions about the nature of the target and the actual extent of the damage, given the lack of independent information confirming or denying the details of what transpired.
Reports of other sites being targeted
In a related development, Iranian reports indicated that the headquarters of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in Tehran was targeted in a separate attack. There has been no official confirmation regarding the extent of the damage or any casualties. These developments come at a time when Iran is undergoing a delicate political process concerning the future of its top leadership. Therefore, any potential targeting of its sovereign institutions carries significant political and security implications. So far, there has been no extensive official comment from the Israeli side regarding the details of the operation. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities are continuing their investigations, amid regional and international anticipation of the potential escalation.
