US-Israeli Strikes Kill 3,698 Iranians Including 1,538 Children
Key Takeaways
- Mojtaba Khamenei is unconscious and undergoing treatment in Qom.
- Intelligence memo from US and Israeli sources, cited by The Times, claims incapacitation.
- Memo states he cannot govern or participate in decision-making amid crisis.
Death Toll and Destruction
The US and Israeli bombing campaign killed at least 3,698 people, including 1,538 children.
The deadliest single strike hit a girls school in Bandar Abbas, killing a schoolteacher and nearly 130 students.
Reuters/Ipsos polling found only 27% of Americans approved of the strikes.
Iran's Response
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to US and allied shipping.
Iranian missile strikes on Israel killed 11 people.
Iran framed its actions as defensive retaliation after strikes assassinated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Shift in War Aims and Legal Questions
The Atlantic Council described the campaign as a high-risk gamble with unclear objectives.
“Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and who was declared the new Supreme Leader following his father’s assassination, is incapacitated and receiving medical treatment in the city of Qom, according to The Times”
Congressional Democrats demanded briefings on the constitutional basis.
Most Americans opposed the strikes, yet coverage centered on Trump's rhetoric.
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