As Israel’s airstrikes pound the Iranian capital in the most intense military assault since the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has taken the rare step of naming potential successors, while retreating to a secure underground bunker to direct wartime operations.

According to three Iranian officials familiar with the matter, Ayatollah Khamenei has suspended electronic communications to avoid detection and now interacts with military commanders through a single trusted aide. He has identified replacements for key military roles in case of further assassinations and named three senior clerics as possible successors should he himself be killed.

The move is seen as an unprecedented acknowledgment of the threat to Iran’s leadership and the dire circumstances of a conflict that has, in just one week, inflicted greater destruction on Tehran than eight years of bombardment by Saddam Hussein.

Ayatollah Khamenei, 86, has instructed the Assembly of Experts to appoint one of the three identified clerics immediately in the event of his death, bypassing the usual months-long deliberation process to ensure regime continuity. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, long rumored as a potential successor, is reportedly not among the chosen names.

Israel’s strikes have destroyed military installations, nuclear sites, and energy infrastructure while killing top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists, many in targeted attacks on civilian areas. In response, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, hitting Israeli facilities including a hospital and oil refinery in Haifa.

Iranian authorities now fear not only further Israeli bombardments but also internal sabotage. Officials have admitted to a “massive security and intelligence breach” and say covert Israeli operatives helped coordinate strikes from within Iran. As a result, top officials have been ordered underground, and all electronic communications among high-ranking personnel have been suspended.

In a video address this week, Khamenei vowed that “the people of Iran will stand against a forced war,” reaffirming his commitment to resist Israeli aggression.

Meanwhile, Iran is also bracing for potential U.S. involvement, as President Donald Trump weighs entering the conflict. American B-2 bombers reportedly carrying bunker-buster bombs have been deployed to Guam, potentially signaling readiness to strike Iran’s fortified nuclear site at Fordow.

To prevent further infiltration, Iran has enforced a communications blackout, blocked international calls, and issued a deadline for collaborators to surrender by Sunday or face execution. Security checkpoints have been established across Tehran, which now appears largely deserted following Israeli evacuation warnings.

Despite the destruction, a renewed sense of unity is emerging among Iranians. Videos and reports show citizens offering food, shelter, and emotional support to one another. “We are scared, but we are also giving each other solidarity,” said a businessman taking refuge near the Caspian Sea.

Nobel laureate and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, who has long opposed the regime, warned against foreign military intervention. “Democracy cannot come through violence and war,” she told the BBC.

As Iran faces mounting casualties, devastated infrastructure, and uncertainty over its leadership, the war with Israel is reshaping the Islamic Republic’s internal dynamics, potentially setting the stage for a pivotal chapter in the nation’s history.

A formation of six U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers has been spotted en route to Guam from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, just hours ahead of President Donald Trump’s anticipated return to the White House. According to flight tracking data and voice communications with air traffic control, the bombers appeared to have refueled midair, indicating a potentially heavy onboard payload.

Defense experts believe these aircraft may be carrying GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators—commonly referred to as bunker-buster bombs—uniquely capable of targeting deeply buried nuclear facilities such as Iran’s Fordow site. The B-2 is the only platform in the U.S. arsenal capable of carrying these 15-ton munitions.

Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said, “Destroying Fordow from the air is a job only the U.S. can do.” Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy at JINSA, explained that the bombs are engineered to penetrate deep layers of earth, rock, and reinforced concrete before detonating underground to collapse or neutralize hardened targets.

The military movement coincides with President Trump’s scheduled intelligence briefings this weekend with the National Security Council. Trump is expected to make a decision on potential U.S. involvement in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

This development follows Trump’s public disagreement with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who had testified in March that Iran was not actively building nuclear weapons. Trump insisted that Iran is “very close” to assembling one and that the U.S. “won’t let it happen.” Gabbard has since clarified her position, stating that Iran is in a position to produce a nuclear weapon “within weeks to months” if it chooses to proceed.

Meanwhile, the State Department announced fresh sanctions on Friday, targeting eight entities and one individual linked to the procurement of proliferation-sensitive machinery from China for Iran’s defense industry.

These rapid developments reflect growing U.S. concern over the possibility of Iran achieving nuclear weapon capability and signal that Washington is preparing all options—including military intervention—to prevent that outcome.

Tulsi Gabbard has said that Iran could now produce a nuclear weapon “within weeks,” marking a sharp shift from her earlier congressional testimony in March where she stated that Iran was not actively building nuclear arms. The change in position comes as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, with former President Donald Trump publicly disputing her earlier stance and calling for immediate action.

Gabbard, a former U.S. Congresswoman and a prominent voice in Trump’s “America First” movement, stated in a new social media post that “U.S. intelligence shows Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months.” She added, “President Trump has been clear that can’t happen, and I agree.”

The comment follows criticism from Trump, who recently said Gabbard was “wrong” and claimed that intelligence reports indicated Iran possessed “a tremendous amount of material” and could develop a nuclear bomb soon. He has given Iran a two-week deadline to reach a deal with Washington, warning that the U.S. may join Israel’s ongoing military strikes against Iran if diplomacy fails.

In her March testimony before Congress, Gabbard cited U.S. intelligence findings that Iran, despite a growing stockpile of enriched uranium, had not resumed its suspended nuclear weapons program from 2003. She had emphasized that the stockpile was “unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons” but did not constitute evidence of active weaponization.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also raised concerns this month over Iran’s enriched uranium reserves, noting that while such material can be used for civilian purposes like reactor fuel, it can also be diverted for nuclear weapons if processed further.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that Iran was “absolutely ready for a negotiated solution,” but stressed that talks with the U.S. cannot proceed “when our people are under bombardment.”

The diplomatic crisis has intensified since June 13, when Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting key Iranian military and nuclear facilities. The strikes, described by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as hitting “the heart” of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, killed several top commanders and scientists. Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks have killed 25 people in Israel, while Iranian casualties have risen to over 430 according to government figures, with independent sources citing even higher numbers.

The disagreement within the American conservative bloc over military involvement continues, with some urging restraint and others advocating support for Israel’s operations. As international pressure builds, Gabbard’s revised assessment could influence the direction of U.S. policy in the days ahead.

Tensions escalated once again in the South China Sea after the Chinese coast guard confronted and drove away a Philippine supply vessel near the contested Scarborough Shoal. The incident, which involved aggressive maneuvers and water cannon attacks, underscores the growing friction between the two nations in the vital maritime region.

According to a statement from Beijing, the Chinese coast guard used a series of “necessary measures” to force the Philippine ship to retreat. These included issuing verbal warnings, tailing the vessel, and deploying water cannon fire.

The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that its vessel, BRP Datu Taradapit, was delivering fuel to Filipino fishermen operating within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone when it was intercepted. “Despite these aggressive actions, including blocking maneuvers and a water cannon attack that briefly struck the port quarter of BRP Datu Taradapit, the vessel adeptly maneuvered away to avoid significant damage,” the statement noted.

China continues to assert sweeping claims over the South China Sea, including areas ruled invalid by a 2016 international arbitration decision. Scarborough Shoal remains one of the most contested zones, despite lying well within Manila’s claimed maritime boundary.

To assert its sovereignty and support local fishers, the Philippines has been conducting regular supply missions in the region. These efforts are part of a broader strategy under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who since taking office in 2022 has strengthened defense and diplomatic ties with the United States and regional allies to counter Chinese influence.

China, for its part, has maintained a heavy presence in disputed areas, deploying large coast guard vessels and a maritime militia to enforce its claims.

The South China Sea is not only geopolitically sensitive but also economically critical. It is a key conduit for global trade—handling trillions of dollars in shipping annually—and is believed to be rich in untapped oil and natural gas reserves.

The latest encounter adds to a series of confrontations that have raised regional and international concerns over freedom of navigation and the risk of conflict in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.