Iran power struggle looms as war enters second week

The week-old war between Iran, Israel and the United States escalated Sunday as Iran’s leadership moved closer to selecting a new supreme leader while the number of American service members killed in the conflict rose.

On Sunday, U.S. Central Command said seven American service members have been killed since the start of the campaign against Iran, with the troops dying in retaliatory strikes targeting U.S. forces in the region. The Pentagon said the remains of two previously unaccounted-for service members were recently recovered following earlier attacks on a facility housing American forces, and the latest fatality was seriously injured in Saudi Arabia during an Iranian strike in the region and has now died of their injuries.

CENTCOM Update

TAMPA, Fla. – Last night, a U.S. service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regime’s initial attacks across the Middle East. The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on U.S. troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 8, 2026

The fatalities mark the first confirmed U.S. deaths of the conflict, which began late last month when American and Israeli forces launched a sweeping bombing campaign targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure.

Meanwhile, fighting intensified across the region over the weekend as Israeli strikes hit multiple sites inside Iran, including fuel depots and oil facilities around Tehran, sending thick smoke over parts of the capital. Iranian forces responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel as well as U.S. positions and regional allies in the Gulf, further raising fears the conflict could widen.

Iranian officials on Sunday confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain supreme leader, will assume the country’s top religious and political post. Long seen as a powerful behind-the-scenes figure within Iran’s clerical establishment, Mojtaba has been widely viewed as the most likely successor to his father. His selection marks the closest thing to dynastic succession in the history of Iran’s Islamic Republic.

The succession battle drew sharp warnings from Israel, which said it would target anyone who assumes the position if attacks against Israel continue. Israeli officials have warned that the next supreme leader “will not be safe” if the country continues directing strikes against Israel and its allies.

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President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the issue, suggesting the United States should have a role in determining Iran’s next leader and warning that any successor could face devastating consequences if hostilities continue.

The competing claims underscore the chaotic power struggle now unfolding inside Iran as the conflict enters its second week, raising fears that the leadership transition — combined with ongoing strikes and retaliatory attacks — could further escalate the war across the Middle East.

[UPDATE: Edited to reflect the selection of Mojtaba Khamanei as the new Supreme Leader of Iran.]

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