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According to multiple Western news outlets citing senior Iranian and Israeli officials, Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader was reportedly injured during the first wave of joint US-Israeli airstrikes that killed his father, Ali Khamenei.

Getting into it: According to The New York Times, CNN, Reuters, and various Israeli news outlets citing senior defense officials, Mojtaba Khamenei sustained injuries during the initial Feb. 28 strike campaign carried out by the United States and Israel. Reports citing Iranian officials say he suffered injuries to his legs, while CNN reported that he also sustained a fractured foot, a bruise around his left eye, and minor lacerations to his face. Despite the injuries, officials said he remained alert and conscious and was moved to a highly secure location with limited communication, where he has reportedly been sheltering since the attack.

The strike that wounded Mojtaba Khamenei also killed his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for nearly four decades. That strike also killed other members of their family, including his mother, his wife Zahra Haddad-Adel, and one of his sons, along with other relatives and senior Iranian defense officials who were present at the leadership compound in Tehran. The attack destroyed the entire complex that served as the supreme leader’s office and residence.

Despite the injuries and the chaotic aftermath of the strike, Iran’s ruling clerics moved quickly to install Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader. He was elected by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body responsible for choosing Iran’s highest authority. Since his appointment, however, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly, nor has he released any video messages, speeches, or written statements, which has fueled speculation about the seriousness of his injuries and his condition. Iranian officials say his absence is largely due to security concerns, as any communication or appearance could potentially reveal his location during ongoing attacks.

In addition to this, Iranian authorities have repeatedly insisted that the new supreme leader’s injuries were not severe. Officials cited by Reuters and Iranian state media say he was “lightly injured” but remains active, while others described him as safe and capable of continuing to oversee government and military decisions. State media has even referred to him as a “wounded war veteran.”