Day 9: Cluster Bombs Hit Tel Aviv as Iran Names New Leader

On March 8, 2026, Iran's Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader, a succession engineered by the IRGC through an online meeting on March 3. Hours later, Iran launched Operation True Promise 4, striking not just Israel but six Gulf states simultaneously: Qatar took 17 ballistic missiles, Kuwait airport fuel depots caught fire, and the UAE intercepted inbound missiles.Meanwhile, Israel launched Operation Roaring Lion, destroying the IRGC Air Force headquarters and hitting Isfahan's Optical Industries complex for a second time. Brent crude crossed $119 a barrel, the Strait of Hormuz recorded only 3 tanker crossings, and Bahrain's state oil company declared force majeure. CSIS estimates the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury cost $3.7 billion. Seven American soldiers are now confirmed killed in action.Sources for this episode are available at: https://nbn.fm/war-desk/episode/ep74About War DeskWar Desk is an investigative podcast using AI assisted analysis of military intelligence, diplomatic signals, and conflict data to assess global war risk, with sources and references published on our website for verification.Subscribe to NBN's NewsletterGet new investigations, new shows, and the raw intelligence you won't find anywhere else straight to your inbox.Sign up at nbn.fm/newsletter.