Israel has issued a threat to pursue every successor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The warning was directed at the Iranian body responsible for selecting the next Supreme Leader. Khamenei was reportedly killed on February 28 in a joint U.S.-Israeli attack. The statement appeared in a Farsi-language post on social media, declaring that Israeli forces would also go after those involved in appointing his successor.

According to Iranian law, an 88-member panel of religious scholars known as the Assembly of Experts is tasked with choosing the new Supreme Leader as soon as possible. The panel is composed entirely of Shia clerics who are elected by public vote every eight years. The process of selecting a new leader is now underway amid heightened regional tensions.

The situation has drawn attention across the Gulf region, where concerns have been raised over Iran’s conflicting messages and the potential for further instability following Khamenei’s death.

Iran’s interim president Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday issued an apology to neighboring countries that had been targeted in recent Iranian attacks, an unusual move during an ongoing conflict. He acknowledged responsibility for the strikes and stated that Iran would not attack unless first provoked. His remarks followed a series of regional escalations after U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28 that killed several senior Iranian commanders and disrupted the country’s central command structure.

Pezeshkian’s statement appeared aimed at signaling that Tehran does not seek to expand the war, though it also reflected the fragile state of Iran’s interim leadership following the deaths of top figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports indicated that Iran-linked attacks have continued, with Qatar and the UAE intercepting missiles on Saturday. Inside Iran, hardliners criticized Pezeshkian’s comments as a sign of weakness, while abroad, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the apology amounted to surrender.

Analysts suggested the apology could serve multiple purposes: easing regional tensions, buying time for Iran’s interim council before a new leader is chosen, or marking the start of internal political restructuring.

US and Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes in Iran’s Isfahan province, targeting several factories and a horse-riding club, resulting in at least 11 deaths. The semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that several others were injured in the attacks, which struck at least eight cities including Isfahan, Najafabad, Aran, Bidgol, Barkhar, Khomeini Shahr, Shahreza, Falavarjan, and Mobarakeh.

According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the strikes are part of an eight-day conflict during which nearly 7,000 facilities across Iran have been attacked, including schools and hospitals, leaving around 1,500 people dead. In response, Tehran has continued retaliatory strikes on Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv, reportedly using advanced hypersonic missiles and drones, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The escalation marks a severe intensification of hostilities between Iran and the US-Israel alliance, with widespread civilian and infrastructural damage reported across multiple provinces.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a televised address to the nation amid the ongoing war with the United States and its close ally Israel. In his speech, broadcast by Iran’s state media, Pezeshkian said Iran seeks to maintain good relations with neighboring and friendly countries but accused enemy states of attempting to sow division. He emphasized that Iran is compelled to respond to attacks originating from other countries’ territories, though this does not mean Tehran has disputes with those nations.

Pezeshkian declared that Iran would take a firm stance against any aggressor and resist strongly against those who attack the country. Calling for national unity, he urged citizens to come forward to defend Iran’s land and water. He asserted that with the people’s spontaneous participation, Iran would not allow its enemies to occupy even an inch of its territory.

The address, reported by Al Jazeera and Iranian state media, underscored Tehran’s message of resistance and national solidarity during the conflict.

The United States and Israel are reportedly discussing the possibility of deploying special forces to seize Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, according to a report by Axios citing four sources familiar with the matter. The report states that former President Donald Trump’s war objective includes preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and capturing approximately 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent.

Axios further reported that the operation would likely take place in a later phase of the conflict, once Iran’s military loses its ability to maintain strong defensive positions. The report also recalled that in June, the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and infrastructure.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that Iran did not grant inspectors access to the bombed sites and that the agency found no evidence of a coordinated program to produce nuclear weapons.

Human Rights Watch has called for an investigation into a deadly attack on a girls’ primary school in southern Iran that killed at least 160 people. The organization’s Digital Investigation Lab researcher, Sophia Jones, said those responsible for the unlawful assault should be held accountable, including through possible war crimes charges. She emphasized the need for a swift and comprehensive investigation, particularly if the attackers knew the school was occupied by children and teachers before noon.

According to the report, the February 28 attack occurred on the first day of a broader campaign involving hundreds of strikes across Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces. Al Jazeera’s investigation found that the school had been deliberately targeted, while The New York Times reported that the strike was likely carried out by the United States.

The call for accountability underscores growing international concern over civilian casualties in the escalating conflict, with rights groups demanding transparency and justice for the victims.

A US intelligence assessment has warned that even a large-scale ground military operation led by the United States may not succeed in toppling Iran’s current government. According to a Washington Post report, the evaluation by the US National Intelligence Council concluded that the likelihood of removing Iran’s ruling regime through such an offensive remains low.

The report also questioned earlier predictions from the Trump administration that a war could end within four to six weeks. Citing three sources familiar with the intelligence findings, the Washington Post said the assessment was prepared within a week of the joint US-Israeli attacks launched on February 28. It further noted that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the assault.

Additionally, the intelligence analysis found little chance that Iran’s fragmented opposition groups could seize power, describing that outcome as “unlikely.”

Iran has vowed to retaliate after Israel carried out severe attacks on its oil refinery and a water purification facility. The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated on social media that the United States committed a serious crime by attacking a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, disrupting water supply to 30 villages. He warned that targeting Iran’s infrastructure is a dangerous move with grave consequences, asserting that the United States set this precedent, not Iran.

According to Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Tehran, Mohammad Vall, the attacks have caused widespread concern in Iran. He noted that when Iran speaks of setting a precedent, it may be considering a similar response. Tehran views Gulf countries as supporters and instigators of aggression against Iran, raising questions about whether Iran might target desalination facilities in the Gulf.

The report added that such an escalation could create a dangerous situation, as Gulf nations depend on desalination plants for about 90 percent of their water supply.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naini has claimed that the country’s armed forces can continue intense warfare for at least six months at the current pace. The statement was reported by Iran’s semi-official news agency and comes amid ongoing hostilities involving the United States and Israel.

According to AFP, Naini’s assertion directly contradicts recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly described the joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran as highly successful. Earlier this week, Trump declared that the United States would win the war by a wide margin and claimed to have destroyed what he called Iran’s “evil empire.”

The IRGC remains one of Iran’s most powerful and influential institutions, extending its reach beyond military and intelligence operations into politics, education, and the economy, according to the report.

After one week of ongoing war in Iran, the humanitarian crisis is worsening rapidly. According to the report, more than 1,300 people have been killed in the conflict so far. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stated that approximately 100,000 people have been displaced as a result of the fighting.

UNHCR said it has been receiving a large number of calls and messages from people seeking emergency assistance since the conflict began. Many families are leaving their homes in search of safety, moving from Tehran and other regions to different areas of the country.

UN officials have warned that if the war continues, the humanitarian situation could deteriorate further and the number of displaced people may rise quickly.

Israel continued its attacks on Iran for the second consecutive week, marking the first time that strikes targeted Tehran’s oil storage and refinery facilities. A massive blaze erupted at one of the capital’s refineries following the assault, with flames visible across the city. The Israeli military stated that it had struck several Iranian fuel depots, while Associated Press footage showed the night sky over Tehran illuminated by widespread fires.

Iran’s state media blamed both the United States and Israel for the attacks, which also caused fires in multiple parts of the capital. The affected refinery reportedly supplies fuel to Tehran and northern provinces. On social media platform X, the Israel Defense Forces claimed the targeted sites were used by Iranian authorities to distribute fuel to various military entities.

The incident adds to rising regional tensions, as reports also noted Israeli strikes in Lebanon and flight suspensions by Oman Air following the escalation.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to intensify military strikes on Iran, declaring through his social media platform Truth Social that Iran would be hit very hard. The warning came on the eighth day of the ongoing war, during which U.S. and Israeli forces carried out extensive attacks across Iran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed Trump’s call for unconditional surrender, asserting that Iran would never bow down. He also apologized to Gulf neighbors and pledged not to attack them, provided their territories are not used for assaults on Iran.

The conflict has spread across the region, with Israel launching new airstrikes on Tehran and Isfahan, and Iran responding with ballistic missile attacks on Israel and strikes on U.S. bases in Bahrain. Explosions were reported in Dubai and Manama, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz and Kurdish positions in Iraq. The Iranian Red Crescent reported thousands of civilian structures hit since February 28.

Reports also indicated that Russia has been supplying Iran with intelligence on U.S. targets, while Washington approved emergency arms sales to Israel. Analysts cited by U.S. media suggested that even large-scale attacks are unlikely to collapse Iran’s leadership structure.

The United States, in coordination with Israel, has launched a full-scale military operation against Iran, targeting the country’s supreme leader and senior officials. The offensive, which also coincides with the reported abduction of Venezuela’s president and his wife, has been described as a clear violation of international law, the UN Charter, and state sovereignty. The escalation marks a sharp departure from earlier US policies that emphasized limited engagement and withdrawal from prolonged Middle Eastern conflicts.

The report notes that under Donald Trump’s second term, Washington’s foreign policy has turned more aggressive, with actions suggesting attempts at regime change in multiple countries. Iran has retaliated with strikes on US and Israeli military sites, creating a cycle of attacks that threatens regional stability. Some Arab states have sided with the US, while Iran stands largely isolated, and calls from China, Russia, and the UN for restraint have been ignored.

Analysts warn that the conflict could disrupt global oil routes through the Strait of Hormuz, drive energy prices sharply higher, and trigger humanitarian and economic crises. The article concludes that military power alone cannot ensure stability without political compromise and regional unity.

Iran has entered the second week of intense fighting following a joint US-Israeli assault that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and over 40 senior officials. Despite expectations in Washington and Tel Aviv of Tehran’s quick surrender, Iran continues to resist, launching missile and drone attacks on Israeli and US targets across the Middle East. The conflict, which began on February 28, has destabilized the region and disrupted global energy markets after Iran restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Security analysts cited in the report describe the war as a strategic gamble by the US and Israel that has instead strengthened Iran’s resolve. Experts note that Iran’s strategy focuses on prolonging the conflict to exhaust its adversaries economically and militarily. The country’s large missile and drone arsenal, along with regional allies such as Hezbollah and Hamas, has enabled sustained operations.

International reactions have been critical. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the war illegitimate, while Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned against turning Iran into a proxy battlefield. Analysts suggest the conflict could become Washington’s most perilous campaign in decades.

U.S. President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for a deadly bombing at a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, that killed at least 165 people. Speaking to reporters at Dover Air Force Base on Saturday, Trump dismissed suggestions that the United States was involved in the attack, asserting, “It was Iran.” He also said he had no indication of Russian involvement or evidence that Russia was assisting Iran.

Trump further commented on Kurdish forces, stating that he did not want Kurdish fighters to enter Iran. He added that the U.S. goal was to see a president in Iran who would not lead the country into war.

The bombing in Minab has sparked widespread international attention and debate over who was actually responsible. Discussions and disputes continue among various parties regarding the true perpetrators of the attack.