Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his family, is reportedly taking refuge in an underground bunker located in Lavizan, northeastern Tehran, after a wave of Israeli airstrikes targeted major Iranian cities, including Tehran and, for the first time, Mashhad.
According to Iran International, sources have verified that Khamenei’s sons, including Mojtaba, Masoud, and Mostafa, are accompanying him in the Lavizan facility. This same bunker was utilized during prior Israeli operations referred to as “True Promise 1” and “True Promise 2,” though at that time, only Mojtaba was present with his father.
A diplomatic source informed Iran International that Israel had the opportunity to directly strike Khamenei on the opening night of its most recent offensive, named Rising Lion, but chose not to. Instead, the Israeli government reportedly opted to grant Iran’s leadership one last chance to dismantle its uranium enrichment program.
The strike on Mashhad—situated over 2,300 kilometers from Israel—was seen as an intentional message to Khamenei, demonstrating that no location in Iran is out of Israel’s reach.
According to Iran International’s sources, all members of Khamenei’s family, including his son Mojtaba, are with him in Lavizan. The Supreme Leader and his family had previously sought shelter in the same bunker during earlier operations against Israel, True Promise 1 and True Promise 2, as per the report. However, during those instances, only Mojtaba was by his side, while his other two sons, Masoud and Mostafa, were not present in the bunker, according to Iran International.
Despite a two-month ultimatum issued by U.S. President Donald Trump to cease Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Khamenei has thus far defied both American and Israeli warnings. With Israeli airstrikes now in progress, analysts propose that this could be a final opportunity for the Supreme Leader to reassess Iran’s nuclear path amid intensifying military pressure.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli