Khamenei.ir, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Israel has threatened to target any successor chosen to lead Iran following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in airstrikes attributed to U.S. and Israeli forces.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, stated that any individual appointed by what he described as the Iranian leadership system to pursue policies hostile to Israel, the United States, or other regional countries could become a military target.
The comment was posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Katz said potential successors supporting Iran’s anti-Israel strategy would face “certain targeting,” regardless of their identity or location.
The statement follows reports that Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late leader, has emerged as a possible candidate for the position of Supreme Leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei is believed to have close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is considered influential within Iranian political circles, though he has never held an official senior government or clerical position.
Reports suggest he was chosen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts under pressure from the Revolutionary Guards, according to some opposition sources.
Analysts note that he served in the Iranian military during the Iran–Iraq War but is not recognised as a senior cleric.
Some accounts indicate that the late Khamenei previously expressed reservations about hereditary succession, arguing that leadership should not resemble monarchical rule.
The tension reflects deepening hostilities following the recent military exchanges between Israel and Iran, raising concerns about broader regional instability.
Both governments have continued to exchange strong rhetoric, with diplomatic efforts remaining limited.
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