IDF ‘flattens’ building where Iran’s Assembly of Experts was picking Khamenei’s successor

Iranian news agencies reported that the building was “flattened” during the Israeli strikes.

An Israeli defense source confirms that the Israeli Air Force struck a building in the Iranian city of Qom where senior clerics had gathered to elect Iran’s new supreme leader.

The Assembly of Experts has 88 members, though it is unclear how many of them were at the building at the time of the strike, according to the official.

The Israeli military said it launched “large-scale strikes” on Tehran two days after the start of a US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

“The Israeli Air Force… has begun an additional wave of strikes against the Iranian terror regime at the heart of Tehran,” the military said in a statement.

US officials to make case for war 

Top US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make the case Tuesday to Congress for the attack on Iran.

Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and military chief General Dan Caine “will brief the full membership of both chambers of Congress,” White House spokesman Dylan Johnson said.

Maersk suspends Strait of Hormuz transit

Container shipping company Maersk said it was halting passage through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz for “safety” reasons.

The Danish group was the latest of several shipping groups to make similar announcements after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared the strait closed on Saturday.

Gulf states vow to defend themselves 

Gulf states vowed to defend themselves against Iranian attacks, including by “responding to the aggression” if need be, after the Gulf Cooperation Council convened via video-link to formulate a unified response