On February 28, 2026, Israel and the United States struck sites in Tehran where senior Iranian officials were meeting. The IDF said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of officials were killed. Iran's Assembly of Experts named Khamenei's son Mojtaba as the new supreme leader on March 8, according to Iranian state media reporting.
Targets of the opening attack
The IDF said the targets included three meetings: the leadership compound, a leadership council meeting, and a ministry meeting. Fox News, citing the IDF and an Israeli security official, reported that more than 40 senior regime and security figures were killed. The IDF named Ali Shamkhani, IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and other officials among the dead.
The strikes disrupted Iran's senior command. The IDF reported that its opening operation targeted the leadership compound and senior officials.
Succession after Khamenei
Iran's Assembly of Experts selected Mojtaba Khamenei on March 8, as announced by Iranian state media. He became supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, whose governing institutions remained in place. The succession followed the killing of his father and senior Iranian officials.
INSS's review describes the campaign's military focus on degrading threats and the political aspiration for regime change. Read next about the nuclear and missile targets and Iran's attacks on Israel.
Fox News reported the IDF's February 28 casualty announcement. The IDF's campaign page identifies the opening date and operation name. The House of Commons Library chronology records Khamenei's death and the subsequent ceasefire timeline. The succession announcement was reported on March 8 by Reuters via Investing.com.