Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stayed out of public view for nearly two weeks—reportedly hiding in an underground bunker near Tehran in the town of Lavizan with family and top guards—during the 12-day conflict with Israel that began on June 13 2025. Israeli officials believe he went into “very great depths” to avoid being targeted in airstrikes, and Iran’s elite Vali-ye Amr unit reportedly managed his security and communications while he remained underground en.wikipedia.org+3hindustantimes.com+3livemint.com+3. Khamenei resurfaced on June 26 in a prerecorded televised statement—their first since the ceasefire—claiming Iran “delivered a slap to America’s face,” downplaying the damage to nuclear sites, and warning the U.S. and Israel against future attacks hindustantimes.com+5the-journal.com+5economictimes.indiatimes.com+5. His disappearance fueled speculation about his health, regime control, and whether internal leaders sidelined him during critical strategic decisions
Hamas Fires Rockets as Truce Talks Begin
Hamas launched two rockets toward southern Israel only hours after agreeing to U.S.-proposed truce discussions. Both rockets landed near unpopulated areas—luckily, no injuries were reported. This sudden attack casts doubt on the fragile ceasefire framework, which includes a proposed 60-day truce, limited hostage exchanges, and humanitarian aid access pbs.org+6ft.com+6timesofisrael.com+6. While Hamas responded positively to the U.S. peace plan and prepared for indirect talks in Qatar axios.com, Israel expressed concern. It will send negotiators to Doha, but publicly criticized Hamas’s attack as “unacceptable” usnews.com. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continue over Gaza, and civilians are caught in the middle, facing growing humanitarian challenges