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U.S. Officials Say Iran’s New Supreme Leader Gravely Wounded Amid Escalating Conflict

Protesters hold posters of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, during a protest marking al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day), after Friday prayers at Fatih Mosque in Istanbul. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed that Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei , was seriously wounded and likely disfigured during the opening phase of U.S. and Israeli military strikes. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth described Iran’s leadership as “desperate and hiding,” asserting that Khamenei has gone underground following injuries sustained in the attacks.  Reports from multiple outlets indicate that Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the conflict began, fueling speculation about the severity of his condition. Some accounts suggest he may have suffered catastrophic injuries, including the loss of a limb and a possible coma, after an airstrike that also killed members of his family.  U.S....

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White House Examined Reports of Israeli Troops Using Palestinians as Human Shields

 

Israeli soldiers walk out from a tunnel underneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis at the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli army against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, June 8, 2025.


The White House quietly reviewed intelligence last year suggesting that Israeli forces may have used Palestinians as human shields during operations in Gaza. According to two former U.S. officials, American intelligence agencies gathered evidence that Israeli soldiers sent Palestinian civilians into tunnels suspected of being rigged with explosives. This information was shared with the Biden administration in its final weeks and analyzed by the intelligence community.

International law strictly prohibits the use of civilians as protective shields in military activity. Reports of such tactics have long circulated, but Washington’s collection of its own evidence marked a significant development. Officials inside the administration had already expressed concern over media accounts alleging that Israeli troops were employing Palestinians to safeguard themselves during combat.

The revelations raise questions about the extent of these practices and whether they were sanctioned at higher levels of Israel’s military leadership. While Israel has faced repeated accusations of violating international law in this regard, the disclosure that U.S. intelligence independently documented such discussions underscores the gravity of the issue.

The matter remains politically sensitive, as it touches on both U.S.-Israel relations and broader debates over accountability in the ongoing conflict. Human rights groups have consistently condemned the use of civilians in combat zones, warning that such actions not only endanger lives but also erode international norms meant to protect non-combatants.


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