Iranian President Survives Israeli Strike in Tehran

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sustained minor leg injuries during an Israeli missile strike on June 16 targeting a Supreme National Security Council meeting in western Tehran. The attack, modeled after Israel’s 2024 assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, used six explosives to block exits and disrupt airflow, aiming to trap senior Iranian leaders. Despite a power outage, Pezeshkian, the parliament speaker, and the judiciary chief escaped through a pre-installed emergency hatch, with several sustaining minor injuries. Iranian authorities are investigating a possible mole due to the strike's precision. Pezeshkian later confirmed in an interview that Israel had attempted to assassinate him, but the plot failed. The incident took place amid a broader 12-day Israel-Iran war that saw Israeli forces kill several top Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists.