Israeli Strike Hits Assembly of Experts Meeting in Qom as Iran’s Leadership Crisis Deepens

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – An Israeli defense source confirmed Tuesday that the Israeli Air Force struck a building in the Iranian city of Qom where senior clerics had reportedly gathered to elect a successor to Iran’s slain supreme leader.

According to the official, the target was the meeting site of the Assembly of Experts, the 88-member clerical body constitutionally responsible for selecting Iran’s supreme leader. While the assembly includes 88 members, the source indicated that “far fewer” were inside the building at the time of the strike.

Iranian state-linked outlet Tasnim described the attack as targeting the Assembly’s building, accusing what it called “American-Zionist criminals” of carrying out the strike. Local media footage reportedly showed the structure heavily damaged. It remains unclear how many individuals were inside when the strike occurred.

The strike comes just days after joint U.S.-Israeli operations killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, during the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury. U.S. and Israeli officials have stated that 49 of Iran’s most senior leaders were eliminated in the initial assault, leaving Tehran’s military and governing hierarchy severely disrupted.

A senior Israeli security official said the strike in Qom occurred as the clerical council was actively voting to determine Khamenei’s successor. Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst reported live that the move demonstrated “the Israeli intelligence about this war,” noting that what remains of Iran’s leadership had gathered to choose a new supreme leader when the strike occurred.

Qom, located south of Tehran, is one of Iran’s most important religious centers and a symbolic stronghold of the Islamic Republic’s clerical establishment. Targeting a body tasked with selecting the nation’s highest authority signals a dramatic escalation in the campaign aimed at dismantling the regime’s command structure.

The development marks a significant moment in the expanding conflict, raising questions about how — and whether — Iran’s remaining leadership will be able to reconstitute authority amid ongoing military pressure.

Prophetic Perspective: Elam and the Latter Days

In Book of Jeremiah 49:34–39, the prophet speaks specifically of Elam — the ancient region located in what is now modern-day Iran. The passage declares that the Lord will “break the bow of Elam,” a clear symbol of military strength and national power. It further describes the removal of its king and officials — a dismantling of governing authority — before concluding with a remarkable promise: “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in the latter days.”

The Hebrew phrase translated “latter days” is acharit hayamim — a term used throughout Scripture to describe an end-of-age fulfillment, a climactic period in redemptive history when God intervenes decisively in the affairs of nations.

The prophecy does not end in destruction — it ends in renewal.

From a biblical perspective, the shaking of leadership is not merely geopolitical turbulence; it can represent divine reordering. The breaking of the “bow” signifies the collapse of human strength so that a different foundation can be laid. And in that humbling, Scripture promises restoration.

For believers who view current events through a prophetic lens, Jeremiah’s words frame upheaval not as the final chapter for Elam, but as a precursor to redemption. The same passage that speaks of removing kings also speaks of restored fortunes.

In the language of prophecy, judgment clears the ground — restoration rebuilds it.

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