Iran threatens to torch regional oil facilities if its energy sites attacked

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he “wouldn’t take out any life insurance” on Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei or Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem when asked about the fate of the two leaders during his first press conference as the war with Iran entered its 13th day.

Netanyahu said Israel was “crushing” the Islamic Republic and its regional proxies.

“We are crushing the terror regime in Iran. We are striking and defeating its proxies – Hezbollah in Lebanon,” he said.

“Hezbollah is feeling our force, and it will feel it even more so. It will pay a very heavy price for its aggression,” Netanyahu added.

He said cooperation between Israel and the United States had produced major military achievements.

“Through an unprecedented joining of forces between Israel and the United States, we have achieved tremendous accomplishments — achievements that are changing the balance of power in the Middle East and even beyond it,” Netanyahu said.

Several explosions were reported late Thursday in several Iranian cities, including Tehran, Ahvaz and Karaj, according to eyewitness accounts sent to Iran International.

In the capital, residents reported hearing several consecutive explosions around 22:10 local time in the Tehranpars district, followed by multiple blasts at about 22:20 in the Qeytarieh area, eyewitnesses said.

In the southwestern city of Ahvaz, witnesses said the 92nd Armored Division was targeted in an attack. A building attributed to the Revolutionary Guards opposite the Golestan gas station was also struck, according to eyewitness accounts.

In Fardis, a district of Karaj, residents reported hearing three explosions earlier in the evening.

Further south, eyewitness accounts from Bandar Mahshahr said that an air defense system had been destroyed, with fighter jets seen flying freely over the area.

UK Foreign Office staff attended a reception at the Iranian embassy in London celebrating the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution just weeks after at least 36,500 protestors were massacred by security forces in Iran, The Telegraph reported.

The event took place on Feb. 12, with guests including British civil servants attending the embassy gathering in London.

The Telegraph citied a video released by the embassy showing guests mingling with Iranian officials shortly before the outbreak of war between Iran and the United States and Israel.

Images from the reception also showed a banner displaying portraits of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ruhollah Khomeini, the report said.

At the London event, Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s ambassador to the UK, delivered a speech praising the Islamic Republic and criticizing Western sanctions.

“For nearly half a century, Iran has faced relentless pressure; from the eight-year imposed war and severe sanctions to acts of sabotage and terrorism,” Mousavi said, according to the report.

“Nevertheless, by relying on domestic capabilities, national cohesion and empowered human resources, it has achieved significant progress.”

Priti Patel, Britain’s shadow foreign secretary, criticized the attendance of UK officials at the event, calling it “disgraceful” in comments to the newspaper.

“It’s disgraceful that in the wake of the Iranian government slaughtering tens of thousands of its own citizens … Foreign Office officials have been paying homage to the Islamic revolution in Iran,” she said, according to the report.

The UK Foreign Office defended the attendance, saying representation at such events was part of normal diplomatic engagement.

“It is the job of the Foreign Office to maintain diplomatic relations with countries across the globe, and it is standard practice as part of that engagement for the UK to be represented at these kinds of national day events,” a spokesperson said, according to the report.

Khamenei Jr’s continued absence from public view has fueled speculation among analysts and diplomats about how power is being exercised during the transition.

The message read on his behalf on state television on Thursday was viewed by some observers as closely aligned with the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) messaging, prompting questions about the balance between formal leadership and the IRGC.

As expected, Tehran’s regional non-state allies in Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon have rallied around the new leader, calling him the “Leader of the blessed Islamic Revolution.” His ascendence to power is perceived by these armed groups as continuity in funding and weapons transfers.

Not many share this view in the region and beyond.

Arab neighbors

Across the Persian Gulf, Mojtaba’s appointment has been met with a mix of defensive military posturing, criticism, and calls for closer security coordination.

Tensions with Saudi Arabia rose sharply after his appointment when an Iranian strike hit a Saudi residential area. Prior reporting in US media, including The Washington Post, indicated Riyadh had privately urged Washington to use significant military force to prevent Iran from emerging stronger after the transition.

Elsewhere in the region, Tehran and its proxies have been blamed for strikes on civilian infrastructure—including a desalination plant in Bahrain.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit denounced Iran’s “reckless policy,” reflecting broader anxieties among smaller Gulf states.

Reactions from Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have reflected concern about escalation, as the leadership transition coincided with direct attacks on regional infrastructure.

Turkey

In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan struck a supportive tone, calling Iranian officials “brothers” and expressing hope they would “get through this trap-filled period.”

Ankara has also criticized US strikes and appears likely to maintain pragmatic engagement with Iran’s leadership to avoid instability along its borders.

Russia, China and the EU

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was among the first to respond, calling Ali Khamenei’s death a “cynical murder” and describing him as an “outstanding statesman.” His message to President Massoud Pezeshkian emphasized solidarity with Iran during the transition.

China adopted a more cautious tone, stressing respect for Iran’s sovereignty and opposing regime change. Chinese officials framed the succession as a constitutional matter and an internal Iranian process.

The European Union’s reaction has been more fragmented. Diplomats say some member states quietly hope the transition could open space for political change, while others fear instability could widen the conflict. Publicly, EU officials have emphasized de-escalation regardless of who leads Iran.

None of the three powers aligned with Tehran as the United Nations condemned IRGC-linked attacks on regional targets this week.

Israel

Israel was the only country in the region to explicitly question the legitimacy of Mojtaba’s appointment, describing it as a continuation of what it called the IRGC’s “terror regime.”

Even before the appointment, Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that “any leader appointed to continue the plan to destroy Israel will be an unequivocal target for elimination.”

Public reactions across Iran and parts of the Arab world have been mixed. Some early expressions of relief at Ali Khamenei’s death gave way to concern about escalation as Mojtaba’s ties to the IRGC came into focus.

Across the region, officials and analysts say the leadership transition has reinforced fears that an already volatile conflict could widen further in the weeks ahead.

The Israeli military on Thursday released footage of its drone attacks against Basij checkpoints and paramilitary forces in Tehran over the past 24 hours.

"In recent days, the Israeli military identified that Basij forces had established checkpoints at several locations across the city of Tehran. Following the identification of these deployments, the Air Force, guided by the Military Intelligence Directorate, carried out strikes over the past 24 hours targeting the checkpoints and the Basij forces stationed there, killing them," the IDF said in a statement.

"These armed forces are considered part of the Iranian regime’s security apparatus and in recent years have been responsible for carrying out terrorist plans and operations. The strikes were part of a phase aimed at deepening the blow to the core layers and key infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime.