Members of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s deliberative body were hit with an airstrike as they convened to decide who would lead the bombarded country.
The Israeli Air Force struck the Assembly of Experts building in the city of Qom on Tuesday, with Israeli media claiming it chose to attack while the body was meeting to decide the next supreme leader of Iran.
“The American-Zionist criminals attacked the Assembly of Experts building in Qom,” Iranian state media outlet Tasnim News Agency reported.
However, Iranian media is contradicting Israeli reports, claiming that the building had been evacuated and there was no loss of life.
The assembly is an 88-man group of statesmen appointed by the more powerful Guardian Council, which in turn consists of six clerics appointed directly by the supreme leader and six lawyers nominated by the chief justice.
Among their most crucial responsibilities is replacing the supreme leader in the event of his death or incapacitation.
“In the event of the death, or resignation or dismissal of the Leader, the experts shall take steps within the shortest possible time for the appointment of the new Leader,” the constitution of Iran states.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in initial bombing operations early Saturday morning, though it took approximately a day for Iranian media to acknowledge his death.
Since then, the Islamic Republic has been governed by a three-person collective known as the Interim Leadership Council, consisting of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i.
The Assembly of Experts has only elected a replacement supreme leader once before — transitioning leadership to Khamenei from his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini.
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At the same time, the IDF is continuing its bombardment of Iranian military centers, and it is expanding its ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
This hostility shatters a ceasefire struck between Israel and Hezbollah in 2024 amid the broader conflict against Hamas.
The terrorist group has called for a return to “open war” against the Jewish state.