US Strikes on Iran Enter Sixth Day, Soleimani Funeral Delayed, Succession Power Struggle Intensifies

BlockBeats News, March 5th. The joint military operation by the US and Israel against Iran has entered its sixth day, with the intensity of the airstrikes continuing to escalate. Iran claims that the US torpedoed an Iranian navy vessel near the coast of Sri Lanka, resulting in the deaths of over 80 sailors. Iran has vowed to retaliate against the US at any location.

The domestic situation in Iran has also undergone a significant change. After the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei in the early stages of the airstrike, the three-day funeral and mourning events scheduled to be held in Tehran were abruptly postponed indefinitely. According to sources, this decision was partly made out of security concerns, fearing that the gatherings could become new targets for attacks.

Previously, it was widely believed that Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, might swiftly be elected as his successor. However, the postponement of the funeral has introduced uncertainty into Iran's highest power transition process. Israel has stated that any successor continuing the current policies could also become a target.

Meanwhile, Iran's state television was hacked, airing a speech video of Iran's exiled Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi. He is currently a prominent symbol of the Iranian opposition abroad.

On the military front, Israel has indicated a decrease in the number of Iranian missile launches, but the threat still remains. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has claimed to have attacked a US oil tanker in the northern Gulf and has stated intentions to control the Strait of Hormuz during wartime.

Analysis indicates that the Strait of Hormuz handles about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas transportation, and this round of conflict has significantly impacted the global energy and financial markets. Concurrently, Republican senators in the US Congress rejected a motion to limit the president's authority over military actions, effectively leaving Trump's decision-making on military actions against Iran largely unconstrained.