Key Developments
- Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, replacing his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
- Iran’s military and political leaders — including President Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf, and the IRGC — have pledged full allegiance to the new supreme leader.
- Israel continues bombing campaigns on Tehran, with explosions reported in Qom and Tehran; overnight strikes targeted oil storage facilities causing massive fires and toxic smoke.
- The US State Department ordered non-emergency diplomatic staff to evacuate Saudi Arabia amid widening regional strikes.
Monday, March 9, 2026
Latest First
Latest First
08:41
Mar 9
Breaking
IRGC Launches New Wave of Missiles After Khamenei Appointment
Hours after Mojtaba Khamenei was named supreme leader, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced fresh ballistic missile launches targeting Israel. The IRGC released footage showing the firing of Khorramshahr, Fatah, Khyber and Qadr missiles. The launches were described as a show of force signalling continuity of the war effort under the new leadership.
Source: CNN / IRGC state media
07:15
Mar 9
Update
Trump Calls New Supreme Leader “Lightweight,” Issues Warning
US President Donald Trump responded to the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei by calling him a “lightweight” and warning he would not last long without American approval. Trump had previously stated that Khamenei’s son would be an unacceptable choice to lead Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu meanwhile said Israel’s goal remains to “destabilise the regime and enable change.”
Source: Al Jazeera / Reuters
06:30
Mar 9
Statement
IRGC Pledges “Full Obedience” to Mojtaba Khamenei
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a formal statement pledging complete allegiance to the newly appointed supreme leader. “The IRGC, as a soldier and powerful arm of the guardianship, declares its readiness for full obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine commands of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei,” the statement read. Senior political figure Ali Larijani added the assembly convened despite threats from President Trump to bomb the gathering, saying: “By martyring Imam Khamenei, the enemies thought the country would reach a dead end.”
Source: IRGC / Iranian state media / NBC News
05:00
Mar 9
Breaking
Mojtaba Khamenei Elected Iran’s Third Supreme Leader
Iran’s Assembly of Experts — the panel of 88 senior Shia clerics responsible under Iranian law for selecting the supreme leader — voted by majority to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, as the Islamic Republic’s third supreme leader since its founding in 1979. The assembly called on the Iranian public, political figures and senior clergy to pledge allegiance to the new leader, stating the decision was made despite “external pressure and security threats.” Mojtaba Khamenei has no history of elected office but has wielded influence behind the scenes through close ties with the IRGC.
Source: Iranian state media (IRIB, Fars, Tasnim, ISNA) · NPR · Al Jazeera
03:45
Mar 9
Update
Israel Warns It Will Target Any Successor — Including Meeting Attendees
Before the appointment was confirmed, the Israeli military issued a stark warning: “The hand of the State of Israel will continue to pursue any successor and anyone who seeks to appoint a successor.” The IDF also warned members of the Assembly of Experts against attending the successor selection meeting, saying it would “not hesitate to target” them. The assembly subsequently held its meetings remotely after Israeli strikes hit its compounds in Tehran and Qom earlier in the week.
Source: IDF statement / NBC News
02:20
Mar 9
Military
Explosions Reported in Qom and Tehran; Strikes on IRGC Air Force HQ
Fresh explosions were reported in Qom and central Tehran in the early hours of Monday. The IDF said it had targeted the headquarters of the IRGC Air Force — described as the “main command-and-control centre” directing the unit’s operations — in addition to striking three senior IRGC commanders in Beirut, identified as Majid Hassini, Ali Reza Bi-Azar and Ahmad Rasouli. The Israeli Air Force has now struck over 500 military targets in western and central Iran using approximately 200 fighter jets in what it describes as the largest combat sortie in its history.
Source: IDF / Al Jazeera
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Earlier
Earlier
22:17
Mar 8
Update
7th US Service Member Dies; State Dept Orders Saudi Arabia Evacuation
The US military confirmed the death of a seventh service member in the war with Iran. A separate US service member died after sustaining injuries in an attack in Saudi Arabia. The US State Department subsequently ordered all non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, updating earlier guidance that had only authorised voluntary departure due to safety risks. The widening of Iranian strikes across the Gulf is prompting increasing concern for US personnel stationed in the region.
Source: US military / ABC News / CBS News
19:30
Mar 8
Breaking
Oil Facilities Ablaze in Tehran; Toxic Smoke Blankets Capital
Israeli strikes overnight hit four oil storage facilities and one fuel transfer centre in Tehran and the neighbouring Alborz province, killing four people, Iranian state media reported. Huge pillars of flame and thick black smoke were visible across the Tehran skyline. Iran’s state media agency IRNA noted the nearby Shahran oil refinery was not damaged. This marks one of the first times a civilian industrial facility has been directly targeted in the conflict. In response, Iran threatened retaliatory strikes on oil refineries in the northern Israeli city of Haifa.
Source: IRNA / NBC News / CBS News
16:00
Mar 8
Update
Iran Strikes Bahrain Desalination Plant; Drones Hit Saudi Arabia
Iranian drone attacks struck a water desalination plant in Sitra, Bahrain, damaging the facility and injuring at least one person seriously, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry confirmed. In a separate incident, debris from an intercepted Iranian missile damaged a university building in Muharraq and injured three people. Saudi Arabia also reported two deaths amid ongoing Iranian counterattacks in the region. Iran’s strikes are now reaching across multiple Gulf nations as it responds to the continued US-Israeli bombardment.
Source: Bahrain Interior Ministry / Al Jazeera / NPR
13:00
Mar 8
Analysis
What Mojtaba Khamenei’s Appointment Means for the War
CNN national security analyst Alex Plitsas said the moments following Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment will be decisive. “Is he going to step to the microphone and announce new policies? Is he going to attempt to avenge his father’s death? A lot rests on this moment,” Plitsas said. Analysts note that Mojtaba Khamenei’s conservative views and close ties with the IRGC suggest continuity with his father’s hardline stance. Reports indicate he previously supported Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iran’s nuclear ambitions, raising concerns about the conflict’s trajectory. A senior Israeli military official separately told NPR that Israel needs approximately three more weeks to accomplish its goal of dismantling Iran’s military forces.
Source: CNN / NPR
10:00
Mar 8
Update
US School Strike Under Investigation After 168 Children Killed
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was still investigating a strike on an Iranian school that killed at least 168 children. President Trump had suggested Iran was responsible for the strike. The incident drew international condemnation. Switzerland’s Defense Minister Martin Pfister said his government believes both the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Iran’s counterattacks constitute violations of international law under the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force. Switzerland declared itself neutral but said it would document all violations.
Source: CNN / Swiss Federal Council
