Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his family are reportedly seeking shelter in an underground bunker in Lavizan, northeastern Tehran, following a series of Israeli airstrikes on key Iranian cities, including Tehran and, for the first time, Mashhad.
According to Iran International, sources confirm that Khamenei’s sons, including Mojtaba, Masoud, and Mostafa, are with him in the Lavizan facility. This bunker was previously used during earlier Israeli operations known as “True Promise 1” and “True Promise 2,” although only Mojtaba was present at that time.
A diplomatic insider revealed to Iran International that Israel could have directly targeted Khamenei during the opening night of its latest offensive, dubbed Rising Lion, but chose not to do so. Instead, the Israeli government reportedly gave Iran’s leadership a final opportunity to dismantle its uranium enrichment program.
The attack on Mashhad, located over 2,300 kilometers from Israel, was interpreted as a deliberate signal to Khamenei that no place in Iran is beyond reach.
According to Iran International’s sources, all members of Khamenei’s family, including his son Mojtaba, are currently in Lavizan. While the Supreme Leader and his family had sought refuge in the same bunker during previous operations against Israel, such as True Promise 1 and True Promise 2, as reported, only Mojtaba was present during those times. Two of his sons, Masoud and Mostafa, were not with him in the bunker during those operations, according to Iran International.
Despite receiving a two-month ultimatum from U.S. President Donald Trump to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Supreme Leader Khamenei has persistently resisted, disregarding both American and Israeli warnings. With Israeli airstrikes now underway, analysts believe this could be the final opportunity for the Supreme Leader to reconsider Iran’s nuclear trajectory in light of the escalating military pressure.
