Mojtaba Khamenei Critically Ill in Qom as Iran Launches Cluster Bomb Strike on Israel; Trump’s "Infrastructure Midnight" Deadline Looms Amid Calls for Human Shields
WASHINGTON D.C. / TEHRAN / JERUSALEM — The Middle East has entered its most volatile 24-hour window yet as reports emerge that Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is incapacitated and "unable to govern."
The leadership vacuum coincides with a major Iranian cluster bomb attack on central Israel and a final ultimatum from U.S. President Donald Trump to dismantle Iran’s energy grid by Tuesday night.
Mojtaba Khamenei "Incapacitated" in Qom
According to a diplomatic memo cited by The Times and The Jerusalem Post, Mojtaba Khamenei is currently unconscious and in "severe condition" at a medical facility in the holy city of Qom.
Power Vacuum: The report, allegedly based on U.S. and Israeli intelligence, suggests the 56-year-old leader has been unable to participate in any regime decision-making for several weeks.
IRGC Control: With Khamenei sidelined, analysts suggest the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) may now hold de facto control over Iran’s military response as the Tuesday 20:00 ET deadline approaches.
Iranian Cluster Bombs Strike Central Israel
In a significant escalation of weaponry, Iran launched ballistic missiles equipped with cluster warheads at Israel’s civilian heartland early Tuesday.
Target Areas: Impact sites were reported in Rosh Haayin and Ramat Hasharon. Rescue services (Magen David Adom) reported that submunitions caused property damage, including flipping a vehicle, though no immediate fatalities were confirmed.
Eilat Targeted: A separate cluster-laden missile targeted the southern port city of Eilat, but the IDF assessed it struck an uninhabited open area.
The "Human Shield" Strategy
As President Trump’s "Power Plant Day" deadline nears, Tehran has issued a desperate plea to its citizens.
"Power plants are our national assets... they belong to the future of Iran," Rahimi stated, in an effort to use civilian presence to deter the threatened U.S. and Israeli aerial strikes on the energy grid.
IDF Offensive and Railway Warnings
Elite Deployment: The IDF has deployed its 98th Division—an elite formation of paratroopers and commandos—into Southern Lebanon. This brings the total to six Israeli divisions operating against Hezbollah to secure a "forward defensive line."
Train Travel Warning: The Israeli military issued an urgent warning to Iranian civilians to avoid all railway lines until 21:00 Iran time, suggesting that transit infrastructure is a high-priority target in the upcoming wave of strikes.
Diplomacy at the Brink
While Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, claimed that Islamabad’s mediation efforts are at a "critical, sensitive stage," President Trump has shown no sign of extending the Tuesday night deadline.
With oil prices hitting record highs and the UN Security Council set to vote on a navigation resolution today, the region remains braced for the 20:00 ET "Midnight" deadline.
