Iranian President Injured in Israeli Airstrike: Tehran Vows Retaliation After Failed Assassination Attempt

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was wounded in the leg during an Israeli airstrike on June 16, 2025, targeting a high-level meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in western Tehran, according to a report by Al Jazeera citing Iran’s Fars News Agency. The attack, carried out during a 12-day conflict with Israel, marks one of the few direct strikes on Iran’s top leadership.

The strike reportedly involved six precision missiles designed to block exits and disable ventilation in an underground bunker where senior Iranian officials were convening. President Pezeshkian, along with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, managed to escape through an emergency hatch after power was cut to the facility.

The strike mirrored previous Israeli tactics, notably the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, using a coordinated missile barrage to trap officials within the compound. Several Iranian leaders sustained minor injuries during the chaotic evacuation. In a recent interview, President Pezeshkian acknowledged the attempted assassination, stating, “They did try… but they failed,” though he had not previously disclosed his injury.

In the aftermath, Iranian security agencies launched sweeping investigations into possible insider collaboration with Israel, resulting in the arrest of over 700 individuals on espionage suspicions. The Iranian parliament is now fast-tracking a new bill proposing the death penalty for those found guilty of spying.

The airstrike and subsequent developments have significantly heightened regional tensions. Iranian officials have vowed a strong response, declaring that Israel will “pay the price” for the failed assassination, underscoring the escalating