Israeli intelligence believes that Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was lightly wounded during recent joint airstrikes carried out by Israel and the United States against targets in Iran, a senior Israeli official has said.
According to the official, the reported injury may explain why Khamenei has not appeared in public or issued any statements since assuming leadership.
The development follows the death of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, during the early stages of the ongoing conflict.
Speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, the Israeli official said intelligence assessments suggest Mojtaba Khamenei sustained minor injuries during the air campaign but remains active in directing state affairs.
Separately, an Iranian official confirmed to Reuters that the newly appointed leader had indeed been lightly injured, though he continues to perform his duties.
The official did not provide further details about when the injury occurred or the circumstances surrounding it.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Ali Khamenei, was elevated to the position of supreme leader amid the escalating war in the region.
Reports indicate that the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps played a key role in backing his appointment following his father’s death.
