Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF):

• Iran Leadership Transition: The Iranian Assembly of Experts has appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader.
• Strikes Target Internal Security Apparatus: U.S. and Israeli operations are increasingly focusing on IRGC and Basij infrastructure.
• Energy Infrastructure Becomes Central Battlefield: Israeli strikes on Iranian fuel depots and energy infrastructure near Tehran have triggered accusations from Tehran of “chemical warfare.”
• Conflict Expands to Gulf States: Following Iranian missile and drone attacks against Gulf states, the UAE reportedly conducted its first retaliatory strike inside Iran, indicating the widening regional participation in the conflict.
• Hezbollah Intensifies Attacks: Hezbollah has escalated coordinated rocket and drone attacks against Israel, sometimes synchronized with Iranian missile launches, framing the attacks as defensive “resistance.”

Overview of Operations “Roaring Lion” and “Epic Fury”

Iran’s Assembly of Experts Appoints Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader

The Iranian Assembly of Experts announced the appointment of Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, following the reported martyrdom of Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

U.S. and Israel Target IRGC and Basij to Weaken Iran’s Internal Control

The United States and Israel continue carrying out strikes across Iran, increasingly targeting the regime’s internal security apparatus, including bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij, as part of a broader campaign to weaken Iran’s military capabilities and its ability to control internal unrest. According to an Iranian source cited in local media, Basij members have recently been rearmed by the IRGC and are reportedly operating in civilian clothing to avoid being targeted.

Iran FM Spokesperson Accuses U.S.–Israel of “Chemical Warfare” After Fuel Depot Strikes

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said attacks on fuel storage facilities in Iran by Israel amount to “intentional chemical warfare,” claiming the strikes released toxic substances into the air. Meanwhile, the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said fuel supplies for the provinces of Tehran and Alborz are being sustainably provided from alternative sources after the attack on energy infrastructure.

The statements come after IDF airstrikes reportedly struck several oil and fuel storage facilities in and around Tehran and Alborz Province, which were linked to military fuel supply infrastructure.

Israel claims: The UAE attacked an Iranian Desalination Facility in Response to the Ongoing Attack Against Them

Since the outbreak of the war, Iran has launched missiles and drones at several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Iranian officials said the strikes targeted U.S. military bases, but reports indicate that civilian locations, including hotels and residential areas, were also affected. The attack today, if confirmed would mark the first strike carried out by the United Arab Emirates against Iran since the war began, following a similar retaliatory attack by Qatar in recent days after both states were targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes. 

Hezbollah Intensified its Attacks Against Israel, Launching Multiple Attacks Simultaneously with Missiles Originating from Iran

Hezbollah intensified its attacks against Israel, launching multiple drone and rocket attacks, sometimes simultaneously with missile strikes originating from Iran. A statement attributed to Hezbollah presents these rocket attacks as a justified response to what the group describes as “aggression” by Israel and the United States. In the statement, Hezbollah portrays its actions as defensive “resistance” against occupation. It argues that Israel’s military response was not a retaliation but rather a pre-planned act of aggression. The statement further emphasizes that armed resistance will continue as long as it considers the occupation to persist.