Authorities in Iran have postponed the funeral ceremony for the country’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, as heavy military strikes by United States and Israel continue across the country. Officials say security concerns and the expected influx of mourners forced the delay.

The three-day funeral ceremony had been scheduled to begin Wednesday night at a major prayer complex in the capital, Tehran. Authorities said the decision was taken after receiving overwhelming requests from citizens seeking to attend the event.

An Iranian official stated that infrastructure preparations were required to accommodate the anticipated crowds. The government also cited the ongoing war situation as a key reason behind the postponement.

Khamenei, who ruled Iran for more than three decades, was killed during the opening phase of a large-scale military assault launched jointly by US and Israeli forces last Saturday. His death has triggered political uncertainty and heightened tensions throughout the Middle East.

Assembly of Experts Moves Toward Selecting Successor

Attention has now shifted to the powerful clerical body responsible for selecting Iran’s next supreme leader, the Assembly of Experts. The council is made up of 88 clerics elected every eight years.

The body holds the constitutional authority to appoint the country’s highest religious and political authority, making its current deliberations crucial for Iran’s political future.Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a member of the assembly, said the body was nearing a decision. He confirmed that several candidates had already been identified.

“The supreme leader will be identified in the closest opportunity. We are close to a conclusion,” Khatami said in remarks broadcast on Iranian state television. However, he acknowledged that the war situation complicates the process and could delay a formal announcement of Iran’s next supreme leader.

According to Iranian sources quoted by Reuters, one of Khamenei’s sons, Mojtaba Khamenei, is considered the leading candidate to succeed him. The 56-year-old cleric has long been viewed as an influential figure behind the scenes of Iran’s political system and is believed to wield considerable influence within conservative circles.

Analysts say he maintains strong ties with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, widely known as the IRGC. The organization plays a central role in defending Iran’s political system.

Israeli Warning Over Future Iranian Leadership

Israeli officials have warned that Iran’s future leadership will remain under scrutiny as the conflict intensifies. The remarks highlight growing tensions surrounding the leadership transition.

Israel’s defense minister said any successor who continues threats against Israel or the United States would be treated as a military target. The statement reflects the increasingly confrontational tone between the two regional adversaries as the war expands.

Massive Israeli Airstrikes Target Tehran

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces announced that its air force had conducted multiple waves of strikes across Iran on Wednesday. A military official said more than 100 Israeli fighter jets participated in a major bombing operation targeting a military compound in eastern Tehran.

According to the IDF, approximately 250 munitions were dropped during the strike. The targets included command centers and other key military infrastructure. The Israeli military also reported targeting ballistic missile launch arrays and several air defense systems located around the Iranian capital.

Additional strikes reportedly hit missile storage and production facilities, along with detection systems at Mehrabad International Airport. The Israeli air force also claimed a historic aerial victory. It stated that an Israeli F-35 fighter jet shot down an Iranian Yak-130 aircraft over Tehran.

If confirmed, it would mark the first time an F-35 has downed a manned fighter aircraft in combat. Iranian authorities have not yet commented publicly on the claim.

US Military Claims Major Naval Strike

The conflict has also spread beyond Iran’s borders into nearby international waters in the Indian Ocean. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said an American submarine had sunk an Iranian naval frigate near the coast of Sri Lanka.

Speaking to reporters, Hegseth said the Iranian warship believed it was safe operating in international waters. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo,” he said. Sri Lanka’s defense secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyyakontha, confirmed that rescue operations were underway following the naval incident.

Authorities have recovered the bodies of 80 crew members from the frigate, identified as the Iris Dena. Another 32 sailors have been rescued so far, while dozens of others remain missing as search operations continue.

US-Israeli Campaign Expands

Hegseth also declared that US and Israeli forces were rapidly achieving dominance over Iranian airspace. According to him, coalition forces could gain “total aerial superiority” within days as operations continue across the country.

“This was never meant to be a fair fight,” Hegseth said. “We are punching them while they’re down.” The head of the US military’s United States Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, said the joint campaign was progressing ahead of expectations.

“In simple terms, we’re focused on shooting things that can shoot us,” Cooper explained while describing the strategy behind the strikes.

Iran Retaliates With Missile and Drone Attacks

Iran has responded with large-scale missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and neighboring Gulf states that host US military bases. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran had been left with no choice but to defend itself after diplomacy failed.

“The US-Israeli attack left us no option but to respond,” Pezeshkian told regional leaders during discussions with neighboring countries. He also emphasized that Iran respects the sovereignty of neighboring states and believes regional security should be achieved collectively.

Civilian Casualties Rise Across Region

The conflict has already caused significant civilian casualties across multiple countries in the region. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that more than 1,045 military personnel and civilians have been killed in strikes since the conflict began.

However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said civilian deaths alone had reached 1,097. The group added that at least 181 of those killed were children under the age of ten. The figures could not be independently verified by international observers.

Missile strikes have also caused deaths outside Iran. In Kuwait, the health ministry reported that an 11-year-old girl was killed when falling shrapnel struck a residential area.

Nine additional people—including six US service members, two Kuwaiti soldiers, and another civilian—have died in Kuwait since hostilities began.

Rising Regional Security Threats

Elsewhere in the region, authorities in Saudi Arabia reported an attempted drone attack on the Ras Tanura oil refinery, the country’s largest facility. Although the attack caused no damage, it followed a drone strike earlier in the week that forced the refinery to temporarily halt some operations.

In Turkey, defense officials said NATO missile defense systems intercepted an Iranian missile heading toward Turkish airspace. The interception took place over the eastern Mediterranean as regional defense systems remained on high alert.

Meanwhile, authorities in Qatar announced the arrest of ten individuals allegedly linked to Iranian intelligence networks. Officials said the suspects were tasked with spying on critical infrastructure and preparing sabotage operations.

Conflict Raises Fears of Wider War

As the war intensifies, analysts warn that the expanding hostilities could destabilize the entire Middle East. Missile exchanges, drone attacks, and naval clashes have already spread across multiple countries and strategic waterways.

The delay of Khamenei’s funeral highlights the deep uncertainty now facing Iran’s political leadership during one of the most dangerous periods in the region’s modern history. While clerics race to appoint a successor, the outcome of the war could reshape Iran’s leadership and alter the balance of power across the Middle East.

This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members