Iran's Supreme Leader Killed in Airstrike

Iran's constitution dictates that in the event of the Supreme Leader's death, a temporary leadership council assumes his duties. This council is comprised of the sitting president, the head of the judiciary, and a cleric from the Guardian Council. The current members are President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi. The 88-member Assembly of Experts, a body of elected Islamic jurists, is tasked with selecting the new Supreme Leader. The candidates for the Assembly are vetted by the Guardian Council, whose members are appointed by the Supreme Leader. The Assembly is constitutionally required to choose a successor "as soon as possible." Iran's retaliatory missile and drone attacks have targeted multiple nations. In Israel, a direct hit on a municipal shelter in Beit Shemesh killed nine people and injured 27. The United Arab Emirates reported three fatalities and 58 injuries from 165 ballistic missiles and 541 drones launched by Iran. Saudi Arabia confirmed it intercepted a missile strike aimed at its capital, Riyadh. The interim president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is a cardiac surgeon by profession and is considered a reformist politician. He previously served as the Minister of Health and has been elected to the Iranian parliament five times. His political career began in 1997, and he has a history of advocating for more open social and political policies. The selection of the next Supreme Leader is a secretive process, but several names have been floated as potential candidates. Among them are Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Other potential successors include Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, a hardline cleric with a long history in the country's judicial and intelligence services, and Alireza Arafi, a member of the Guardian Council and the head of Iran's seminaries. The joint US-Israeli military operation follows a history of close defense cooperation. The two nations have engaged in numerous joint military exercises, such as the "Juniper Oak" drills, the largest of their kind. The United States provides Israel with billions of dollars in military aid annually and has designated the country as a major non-NATO ally. International reactions to the airstrike have been varied. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the killing as a "cynical murder" and a violation of international law. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Khamenei was "one of the most evil people in history" and that his death gave the Iranian people their "greatest chance" to "take back their country." The Arab League denounced Iran's retaliatory missile strikes as a "blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace." The attack on Khamenei's compound in Tehran also resulted in the deaths of several of his family members, including a daughter, son-in-law, and a grandchild. The Iranian government has declared a 40-day period of public mourning and a seven-day nationwide public holiday. While there have been state-organized mourning ceremonies, some residents in Tehran were reportedly celebrating in the streets.