Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly been named Iran’s new Supreme Leader, according to state media. He replaces his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at his compound in Tehran during the first wave of joint United States and Israeli airstrikes.
The US Central Command has confirmed that a seventh American service member has died from injuries sustained during Iran’s initial retaliatory attacks across the Middle East last week.
Meanwhile, global oil markets have reacted sharply to the escalating tensions, with crude oil prices rising above $110 per barrel. The surge is attributed to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global energy supplies.
In Lebanon, the death toll from Israeli airstrikes has climbed to nearly 400, according to the country’s Health Minister.
The BBC reports that one hospital received numerous injured victims and bodies early this morning following an airstrike on a village in southern Lebanon.
Residents in Tehran have also described heavy damage after oil depots were struck by intense aerial bombardment. One resident said the situation was overwhelming, adding that “you can smell the burning” across parts of the city.
Elsewhere, an official in Saudi Arabia has confirmed that two people were killed when a projectile struck a residential area.
The situation across the region remains highly volatile as military exchanges continue.
BBC News
