Iranian President Injured in Israeli Airstrike During Emergency Meeting

Tehran, Iran — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reported injured during an Israeli airstrike on June 16, targeting a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council in Tehran. The attack occurred during a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, as part of Israel’s military campaign against Iranian military leaders and nuclear facilities.

According to the semi-official Fars news agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, six bombs struck the facility while Pezeshkian and other senior officials were gathered. The bombs targeted critical exit routes and the ventilation system, leading to a power outage that trapped many inside. Fortunately, Pezeshkian and others managed to escape through an emergency hatch.

Pezeshkian reportedly sustained minor injuries to his leg during the escape. He claimed in a recent interview that the airstrike was an assassination attempt, stating, “They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz denied any intent to assassinate Pezeshkian, asserting that regime change was not the goal of the military operations. The reports surrounding the attack have prompted discussions within Iranian authorities about how Israeli agents may have gained intelligence on the meeting’s location.

During the conflict, many high-ranking Iranian officials were killed in the initial strike by Israeli forces, signaling a strategic focus on incapacitating Iran’s military leadership. Pezeshkian, while labeling the airstrike as an assassination attempt, emphasized that the intent was to disrupt the ongoing discussions on national security.

As the situation develops, it raises concerns about the intelligence operations possibly utilized by Israel and their implications for Iran’s security measures. The Iranian government has since arrested over 700 individuals and reported several casualties since the start of the conflict.