Iran picked a new supreme leader as the war with Israel and the United States entered its ninth day, marking a major political shift inside the Islamic Republic while military operations across the Middle East continued to intensify. The move came as Iranian forces launched new missile and drone strikes across the Persian Gulf region, including an attack that damaged a desalination plant in Bahrain.
The decision that Iran picked a new supreme leader follows the death of the country’s longtime leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the opening phase of the conflict late last month. Although Iranian authorities confirmed that the Assembly of Experts had selected a successor, they have not yet publicly disclosed the identity of the new leader.
The leadership change occurred as the conflict between Iran and a coalition led by the United States and Israel continued to escalate. Overnight strikes shook multiple cities across the region, with Iranian missiles and drones targeting Gulf states while Israeli forces launched attacks on critical energy infrastructure inside Iran.
Regional tensions intensified further as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain reported intercepting several Iranian aerial attacks during the night. The sustained exchange of strikes has raised fears that the war could spread more deeply across the Middle East and disrupt global energy supplies.
The announcement that Iran picked a new supreme leader coincided with some of the most intense regional strikes since the war began. Iranian forces targeted several locations across the Gulf region, including an attack that damaged a water desalination facility in Bahrain.
The strike on Bahrain came after Tehran accused the United States of hitting a similar desalination plant inside Iran earlier in the conflict. Freshwater facilities are crucial infrastructure across Gulf states, where desalination plants supply most of the region’s drinking water.
Although Bahraini authorities said the damage to the plant did not disrupt water supplies, the incident raised concerns about the vulnerability of civilian infrastructure during the expanding war.
Bahrain also reported that three people were injured after debris from intercepted missiles fell onto residential areas. Defense systems in the kingdom successfully destroyed several incoming projectiles before they reached their intended targets.
Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Arabian defense forces intercepted drones heading toward the Shaybah oil field, one of the country’s important energy installations. Additional drones were shot down east of the capital Riyadh, while three more were intercepted above the city itself.
Saudi authorities also said air defenses prevented a strike on the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh, where several foreign embassies are located, including the United States mission.
The intensifying war has also begun to affect global energy markets. As Iran picked a new supreme leader and continued military operations, major oil producers in the Gulf started adjusting their production levels due to growing security concerns.
The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait both announced reductions in oil output amid disruptions linked to the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow shipping lane handles roughly one fifth of the world’s energy exports and is one of the most strategically important routes for global oil trade.
Officials warned that continued military activity around the strait could create severe bottlenecks for shipping and energy supplies. Even limited disruptions could have significant effects on oil markets because so much global supply passes through the waterway.
In January, the United Arab Emirates produced more than 3.5 million barrels per day, making it the third-largest oil producer within OPEC. Kuwait, another major exporter, also confirmed reductions in crude and refinery production due to what officials described as ongoing aggression by Iran.
These developments helped push oil prices sharply higher during the past week. US crude futures surged above $90 per barrel, marking one of the largest weekly increases in decades.
Energy companies across the region also experienced major stock movements. Shares of Saudi Aramco climbed nearly five percent, their biggest daily gain in almost three years, as investors reacted to rising oil prices.
While Iran launched attacks across the Gulf region, Israeli forces carried out new airstrikes targeting energy infrastructure inside the Iranian capital.
According to Iranian media outlets, Israeli jets struck fuel depots in the Kuhak and Shahran districts of Tehran as well as facilities near the nearby city of Karaj. Large explosions were heard across several neighborhoods as storage tanks caught fire.
Authorities warned residents in affected areas to stay indoors and wear protective masks because of hazardous air pollution released by burning fuel depots.
The semi-official Iranian Students News Agency reported that the country’s Red Crescent organization warned that massive quantities of dangerous particles had been released into the air following the explosions.
Israeli officials signaled that the attacks may continue to expand. Energy Minister Eli Cohen said Israel was considering additional strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, including refineries and power stations.
Such attacks could further strain Iran’s domestic energy network and complicate efforts to maintain electricity supplies in major cities.
Despite the leadership change after Iran picked a new supreme leader, Iranian officials insist the country remains capable of sustaining a long conflict.
The state broadcaster reported that Iran’s armed forces could maintain high-intensity military operations for at least six months at the current pace.
The report, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the military plans to begin deploying more advanced long-range missiles that have rarely been used in previous conflicts.
Iranian officials argue that such weapons could significantly extend the reach of their strikes if the war continues to escalate.
Meanwhile, Tehran has warned neighboring countries that they must prevent their territory from being used as staging grounds for attacks against Iran.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Iran would continue responding to attacks launched from foreign bases in the region.
He warned that if countries do not block US military operations conducted from their territory, Iran would consider them legitimate targets.
The war and the announcement that Iran picked a new supreme leader have also created political tensions inside the country.
President Masoud Pezeshkian initially said he had instructed the military not to target countries that were not directly attacking Iran. He also issued an apology to neighboring states affected by missile strikes.
However, those remarks sparked criticism within Iran, particularly from factions closely aligned with the Revolutionary Guard.
Analysts believe the comments highlighted possible divisions between Iran’s civilian government and hardline military institutions.
Political scientist Trita Parsi said the backlash suggested tensions between the president and the Revolutionary Guard leadership, which oversees Iran’s missile forces and regional militia networks.
In a later statement, Pezeshkian clarified that Iran would still respond to any attacks launched from foreign territory, adding that the country’s adversaries had drawn “naive conclusions” from his earlier remarks.
Global powers watch conflict closely
The widening war has also drawn reactions from global powers concerned about its impact on international security and economic stability.
Donald Trump said the United States may consider expanding its strikes against Iran if necessary. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he suggested additional targets inside Iran could be added to the list of potential military objectives.
However, Trump also said deploying US ground troops would require a “very good reason,” indicating Washington may prefer to rely on airpower and regional allies.
China, which is one of the largest buyers of Iranian oil, has urged all sides to pursue a ceasefire.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing hopes the conflict can be contained and prevented from escalating further.
Despite those concerns, China has signaled that the war will not disrupt its broader diplomatic relationship with the United States ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The conflict has also caused massive disruption to air travel across the Middle East.
Airlines have canceled more than 27,000 flights to major regional hubs since the war began, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across Gulf airports.
Several international carriers suspended routes due to safety concerns and restrictions on flying through regional airspace.
However, the Dubai-based airline Emirates said it is working toward restoring full network operations in the coming days if security conditions improve.
The war began on February 28 when US and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes against Iran. The attacks quickly escalated into a broader conflict that has drawn in more than a dozen countries across the region.
Iran reports that at least 1,332 people have been killed since the war began, along with widespread damage to infrastructure. Additional casualties have been reported in several other countries targeted by missile strikes or aerial interceptions.
Six US service members have also been killed during the early phase of the conflict.
With Iran picking a new supreme leader in the midst of the war, the leadership transition adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation.
As military operations continue and energy markets react to the instability, the conflict now threatens to reshape political and economic dynamics across the Middle East and beyond.
