Iranian Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Reportedly Absent Amid Internal Chaos, Assassination Plot in Tel Aviv Revealed

A Saudi news channel reported on Sunday, citing an Israeli security source, that Mojtaba Khamenei, the newly appointed Supreme Leader of Iran, has left the country amid deep internal divisions within the Iranian regime. The source claimed that messages attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei are not written by him but by senior figures in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who effectively run the country behind the scenes. Mojtaba was appointed following the assassination of his father, Ali Khamenei, in a covert operation named "Operation Lion's Roar," with the appointment occurring under dramatic circumstances after the Assembly of Experts' headquarters in Qom was bombed by Israel.

The Israeli source highlighted severe internal disputes threatening the very existence of the IRGC, the regime's most powerful enforcement arm. These divisions stem from tensions between hardliners demanding revenge against Israel and moderates concerned about the perception of a dynastic rule. Meanwhile, the report exposed an Iranian plan to carry out targeted assassinations of senior Israeli figures in central Tel Aviv as retaliation for Ali Khamenei's killing. Details of the plot remain undisclosed, but it signals Iran's intent to conduct precise attacks inside Israel beyond missile and drone strikes.

Additionally, the report noted ongoing U.S. pressure on Israel to limit its involvement in regional military actions against Iran. According to the Israeli source, Washington has issued a firm veto against Israeli participation in such operations, even if Iran initiates attacks against Israel, aiming to maintain full U.S. control over military responses and prevent escalation in the region.