TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran launched its first wave of missiles toward Israel on Monday, March 9, 2026, following the appointment of the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, according to reports from state broadcaster IRIB cited by Arab News.
"Iran fires first wave of missiles under Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei toward occupied territories," IRIB announced via its Telegram channel. The post featured an image of a projectile emblazoned with the slogan "At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba," a reference to his religious authority.
Mojtaba Khamenei was elected to succeed his assassinated father despite ongoing threats from the United States and Israel. Nine days after the US-Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and plunged the Middle East into open conflict, Shia clerics convened to elect only the third supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
A government television broadcaster solemnly read a statement from the 88-member Assembly of Experts alongside a portrait of the new 56-year-old leader, who bears a striking resemblance to his predecessor. "Mojtaba Khamenei is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts," the statement declared.
The clerical body emphasized it did not hesitate in its selection, despite what it termed "brutal aggression" from the United States and the "evil Zionist regime."
Beyond Israel, Iran also directed waves of missiles and drones toward neighboring Gulf states. Explosions were reported Monday morning in Qatar, home to a major US airbase, while the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense confirmed its forces were engaging aerial threats from Iran.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense also stated that the Kingdom's air defenses intercepted at least three ballistic missiles and four drones that entered its airspace after midnight.
This escalation follows weeks of domestic turmoil in which Iranian security forces suppressed massive anti-government demonstrations, resulting in thousands of deaths. The younger Khamenei is regarded as a hardliner expected to maintain his father's policy of crushing internal dissent.
US President Donald Trump had previously dismissed Mojtaba Khamenei as a "lightweight," reiterating on Sunday, March 8, 2026, that Washington should have a say in the succession. "If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long," Trump told ABC News shortly before the official announcement.
The Israeli military also warned the successor that they would not hesitate to target him directly. Experts do not anticipate a significant shift in Iranian policy under Mojtaba, a trained cleric with deep ties to the Revolutionary Guards, the regime's ideological military wing.
The Revolutionary Guards moved quickly to declare their loyalty to the new leader. While Mojtaba lacks the extensive political resume of Ali Khamenei, who served as president under the first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, his influence has grown steadily in recent years.
Ali Khamenei held absolute power for 36 years following his own eight-year presidency. According to Al Jazeera, the rise of the younger Khamenei signals that hardline factions remain firmly in control of the state apparatus. Mojtaba himself has never publicly addressed the succession, a sensitive issue given that his elevation effectively establishes a dynasty reminiscent of the Pahlavi monarchy before the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Instead, the new leader has maintained a low profile, avoiding public lectures, Friday sermons, or political speeches. Many Iranians have never heard his voice, yet knowing that he was a star rising within the theocratic regime.
Read: What to Know About Mojtaba Khamenei, Son of Ali Khamenei
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