U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed that he wants to play a role in selecting Iran’s next leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent airstrikes. Iranian leadership is expected to announce a successor soon, but President Trump says the choice matters to the future of peace in the region. One of the reported frontrunners is Khamenei’s own son, a possibility the president says he strongly opposes, insisting the next leader should be someone capable of bringing stability and harmony to Iran.

Meanwhile, the fighting continues across multiple fronts. Israeli forces are pushing deeper into southern Lebanon as tensions escalate with Hezbollah. Hundreds of thousands of residents have already fled north of the Litani River after evacuation warnings from the Israeli military, raising fears that a larger ground offensive could soon unfold.

Back in Washington, there’s major political news as well. President Trump has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after weeks of controversy and criticism following a deadly incident involving federal agents earlier this year. She will now transition to a new role as special envoy for a security initiative known as the Shield of the Americas, while Senator Markwayne Mullin has been tapped to lead the Department of Homeland Security pending Senate confirmation.

And as the war spreads, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening. Aid organizations warn that food supplies may last only a few more days as border crossings remain closed and medical equipment struggles to get through.

Those stories and more are coming up right now on the Rhythm & News Morning Report.

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