Iran’s President, senior political leaders, and armed forces on Monday formally pledged allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been named the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic following the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The war continues to spread and intensify, with casualties rising sharply across neighbouring countries amid relentless bombardment of US bases by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in retaliation for sustained US and Israeli attacks on Iranian territory.
Reports on Monday indicated a significant spike in casualties over the past 24 hours on all sides, including US and Israeli forces.
A seventh US soldier was confirmed killed, one day after President Donald Trump paid tribute to six fallen American personnel in the UAE and Bahrain. In Lebanon, two more Israeli soldiers were killed after Hezbollah, with support from local residents, thwarted an Israeli military raid.
Additionally, two people were reportedly killed in Saudi Arabia in related incidents. The escalating conflict across Iran, Lebanon, and Israel has triggered massive displacement.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled to safer countries. Latest estimates indicate thousands have left Israel, around 100,000 have fled Iran, and more than half a million people have been forcibly displaced as Israeli forces and Hezbollah continue to exchange fire.
In the latest Iranian drone attacks, as many as 32 civilians were injured. Bahrain’s health authority confirmed on Monday that four of the injured remain in critical condition following an Iranian drone strike on the Sitra area, south of the capital, Manama.
Also read: Mojtaba Khamenei succeeds father as Iran’s Supreme Leader