US And Israel Hit The Building Where The New Ayatollah Was To Be Elected

• 3.03.2026, 18:10

It could have held about 80 people.

The Israeli and U.S. air forces struck the building of the Council of Experts, which is responsible for electing a new ayatollah, Iranian state media and the Times of Israel reported Tuesday, March 3.

The Council is located in the city of Qom, south of Tehran. Local media published footage showing significant destruction after the strike.

A defense source confirmed to the Times of Israel that the Israeli Air Force struck a building housing high-ranking clerics who were to elect Iran's new supreme leader.

"The Council of Experts consists of 88 members, but it is not yet known how many of them were in the building at the time of the strike," the official said.