Iran president injured in Israeli airstrike during emergency meeting
What's the story
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reportedly injured in an Israeli airstrike on June 16. The attack targeted a secret underground facility in Tehran where Pezeshkian and other top Iranian leaders were attending an emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council. According to the state-run Fars news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), six bombs hit the facility's entry and exit points, injuring Pezeshkian as he escaped through an emergency shaft.
Strategic strike
Attack aimed to block evacuation routes, limit airflow
The Fars report stated that the aim of the attack was to block evacuation routes and limit airflow, similar to an earlier Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The report said the Israeli strikes blocked all six entry and exit points and also the ventilation system. The explosion cut off power to the floor, but officials managed to escape through a pre-prepared emergency hatch. Pezeshkian and others suffered minor leg injuries in the process.
Security breach
Suspicions of insider leak
The precision of the attack has raised suspicions of a possible insider leak about the council's location and schedule. While Fars did not reveal the exact address, Iran International reported it occurred near Shahrak-e Gharb in western Tehran. Senior IRGC General Mohsen Rezaei confirmed that Israel targeted six points where the council was meeting, but "not the slightest harm was done to any of its members."
Accusations
Pezeshkian confirms assassination attempt in interview
Last week, President Pezeshkian acknowledged that Israel had tried to assassinate him. He confirmed the attack in an interview with American commentator Tucker Carlson, saying, "They did try, yes... They acted accordingly, but they failed." The incident comes after a massive drone and missile conflict between Iran and Israel that began on June 13. The conflict was triggered by an Israeli attack aimed at halting Iran's nuclear program.
Casualties
Israel-Iran conflict
The Israeli campaign began with a surprise attack on June 13 and killed senior military commanders, nuclear scientists, and hundreds of civilians in Iran. Iranian officials put the death toll at 1,060. In retaliation, Iranian drone and missile strikes killed at least 28 people in Israel. Since the 12-day war, Iranian authorities have arrested over 700 people and killed at least six in a statewide anti-espionage campaign, according to officials and human rights groups.