Day 13 of the Iran-Israel War: Explosions, Missiles and Rising Global Tensions

This is Day 13 full-blown war between Iran, Israel, and with the U.S. heavily involved from the start. Explosions are still lighting up the night in Tehran, missiles are flying toward Israel, and now Iran’s got a brand-new Supreme Leader who’s just dropped his first real message—and it’s as defiant and angry as you’d expect

Iran’s New Supreme Leader Issues First Wartime Message

Iran-Israel War LIVE: Iran’s New Supreme Leader Vows to Keep Hitting Gulf Neighbors Until U.S. Bases Are Gone

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stepped up (or rather, his words did— he didn’t appear on camera himself) with a statement read out on state TV today. His dad and several family members were killed right at the beginning of the war in those massive opening strikes on February 28. Reports say Mojtaba himself got hurt too—maybe his legs, maybe worse—though nobody’s seen him in public since, and there’s all kinds of rumors swirling about how bad it really is.

“Vengeance Until Fully Achieved”: Iran’s Warning to Gulf Countries

In his message, he didn’t hold back. He basically said vengeance for all the “martyrs”—including those killed in strikes like the one on that school in Minab—is non-negotiable. “We will not forgive the blood of our people until it’s fully avenged,” that kind of tone. He called on all the Gulf countries—Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, you name it—to kick out every single U.S. base right now, or else the attacks keep coming. He insisted these strikes aren’t really against the neighbors themselves; they’re just hitting American targets on their soil because those bases are being used to bomb Iran.

Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Oil Prices Surge Above $100

And get this—he made it clear the Strait of Hormuz isn’t opening back up anytime soon. He called it a “lever” to squeeze the enemy, meaning the U.S. and Israel. With a huge chunk of the world’s oil flowing through there, keeping it mostly shut (or at least heavily disrupted with mines, drone attacks on tankers, you name it) is pushing oil prices way back over $100 a barrel again. People in Asia are already lining up for fuel, and markets are jittery as hell.

Iranian Drone and Missile Attacks Across the Gulf

This isn’t just tough talk. Iranian drones and missiles have been hitting sites across the Gulf for days now—ports, water facilities, even some civilian stuff in places like the UAE and Saudi Arabia. It’s putting those countries in an awful spot: they’re allies with the U.S., but they’re also neighbors who don’t want this war spilling over more than it already has. Iran’s president tried to smooth things over earlier with apologies, saying “sorry, it’s the Americans we’re after,” but the attacks haven’t stopped, and now the new leader is doubling down.

How the War Started: U.S.–Israel Strikes on Iran

The war kicked off with those huge U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that took out nuclear sites, missile bases, command centers—and yeah, the old Supreme Leader’s compound. Since then, it’s been nonstop: Israel pounding targets deep inside Iran, Iran firing back with barrages toward Tel Aviv and other spots (a lot get intercepted, but not all), and Hezbollah in Lebanon piling on with rockets. U.S. troops in the region have taken hits too—several killed in base attacks. Civilians are suffering the worst: dozens dead in Iran from bombs, injuries in Israel, and now ripple effects everywhere from the energy chaos.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise and the Role of the Revolutionary Guards

Mojtaba Khamenei has always been this low-profile, hardline figure—close to the Revolutionary Guards, more conservative even than his dad in some ways. Getting picked so fast after the assassination feels like the IRGC and hardliners saying, “We’re not backing down, not even a little.” His first words make that crystal clear: no surrender, no quick peace, keep the pressure on until the “enemy” pays.

Trump’s Reaction and Israel’s Military Strategy

On the other side, President Trump has been all over the map—talking unconditional surrender one minute, regime change the next, even joking about picking Iran’s leader.

Israel keeps saying their operations are “wide-scale” to wipe out threats. But with no off-ramp in sight, and this grieving, wounded new leader vowing endless payback, it feels like we’re stuck in this cycle of strikes and counter-strikes for who knows how long.

Global Impact: Civilians and Energy Markets Under Pressure

It’s heartbreaking to watch. Regular people—kids in schools, families just trying to get by—are the ones caught in the middle. Energy prices spiking means higher costs for food, transport, everything, hitting people far beyond the region.

Sources

• Al Jazeera
• Reuters
• NPR
• CNN
• The New York Times
• BBC
• PBS
• The Hindu
• Haaretz