Israeli sources say Iran’s new Supreme Chief Mojtaba Khamenei is weak

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Iran’s new supreme chief, Mojtaba Khamenei, is little greater than an "empty entity" who is just not on the helm of the regime, based on Israeli nationwide safety sources.

The son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a focused Israeli strike on Feb. 28, can be linked to what officers describe as a "misfunctioning" regime.

"The brand new chief is an empty entity," Kobi Michael, a protection analyst on the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute , instructed Fox Information Digital.

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"Mojtaba Khamenei doesn't seem in public, however we even have dependable data that he doesn't management or lead the regime or what has been left of the regime.

"The present Iranian management is damaged, confused and is nearly misfunctioning."

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/343/192/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/686/384/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/672/378/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/1344/756/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/931/523/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/1862/1046/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/720/405/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/1440/810/israel-usa-iran-lebanon-missile-drone-strikes-fox-news-03-17-2026-011.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> A mourner holds a poster depicting Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, proper, the successor to his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, as supreme chief, throughout the funeral procession for senior Iranian navy officers and civilians killed throughout the U.S.-Israel marketing campaign in Tehran, Iran, March 11, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photograph)

Mojtaba reportedly escaped demise by minutes when his father was killed Feb. 28, leaving the compound for a stroll shortly earlier than an Israeli missile strike, based on leaked audio accessed by The Telegraph .

The audio, reportedly from a March 12 assembly, revealed particulars concerning the strikes that additionally took out a number of members of the Khamenei household.

Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol for Khamenei’s workplace, is supposedly heard within the audio telling senior leaders that Mojtaba sustained "a minor harm to his leg."

Since being named supreme chief, Mojtaba has not made one public look. As a substitute, a message by him was learn on Iranian state TV, warning of continued strikes and urging Gulf nations to close down U.S. bases.

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Iranian Secretary of the Supreme Nationwide Safety Council Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, a senior officer within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who instructions Basij forces (AP Photograph/Bilal Hussein, File; Atta Kenare/AFP by way of Getty Photos, File)

Different stories claimed Mojtaba was in important situation and even in a coma, although Iranian officers have insisted that the brand new supreme chief is in good well being.

Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge Wednesday after the killing of senior safety official Ali Larijani in an Israeli strike.

"Such acts of terror solely replicate the enemies’ hostility and can strengthen the resolve of the Islamic nation. Undoubtedly, justice shall be served," the assertion mentioned.

Larijani, considered one of Iran’s high safety figures, was killed after Israeli intelligence reportedly positioned him and different officers on the outskirts of Tehran.

Different senior figures have additionally been killed in current strikes, together with Basij militia leader Gholamreza Soleimani , based on the Israel Protection Forces (IDF).

"This isn't a brand new section, however a seamless effort and a really profitable and spectacular one and an important part of the technique meant to weaken the Iranian regime," Michael mentioned of the continued strikes at regime figures.

"That is to the diploma that it will be unable to reconstitute itself and/or to change into once more a extreme menace and destabilizing participant within the broader Middle East ."

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/343/192/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/686/384/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/672/378/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/1344/756/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/931/523/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/1862/1046/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/720/405/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/03/1440/810/president-donald-trump-air-force-one-joint-base-andrews-03-18-2026-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> President Donald Trump boards Air Power One Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photograph)

After the opening U.S.-Israeli strikes, President Donald Trump instructed the Iranian folks that their "second of freedom" was at hand.

"Once we are completed, take over your authorities. Will probably be yours to take," Trump mentioned, suggesting the U.S. would assist deliver down the Iranian regime.

"At the exact same time, by weakening the regime and paralyzing its capacities typically talking and its home management particularly, the U.S. and Israel are facilitating the required circumstances for the Iranian folks to topple the regime," Michael added.

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"That is the last word victory of their eyes, and the path to this vacation spot is that they're attempting to extend any injury wherever they'll."

Emma Bussey is a breaking information author for Fox Information Digital. Earlier than becoming a member of Fox, she labored at The Telegraph with the U.S. in a single day workforce, throughout desks together with international, politics, information, sport and tradition.