The Times of Israel reports: “Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has nominated three clerics as potential successors as he hides in a bunker while facing threats of assassination by Israel in the ongoing war, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, has also named an ‘array of replacements down his chain of military command’ in case Israel eliminates more top officers, according to the report, which cited three Iranian officials familiar with the plans.

According to the officials and diplomats in Iran, the Islamic Republic’s chain of command is still functioning despite the blows it sustained, and the political ranks have shown ‘no obvious signs of dissent,’ The Times said.

Two Iranian officials cited by the paper said Iran’s intelligence ministry has ordered all senior government officials and military commanders to stay underground due to the possibility that they will be targeted.

The ministry has also ordered officials to stop using electronic communications, including cellphones, and Khamenei himself now communicates with his commanders only via a trusted aide, The Times reported…”