The United States and Israel have intensified their airstrikes on Iran, with US President Donald Trump claiming that Iran’s military command has collapsed, and many are eager to surrender. In a video message, Trump stated that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ installations and the country’s air defense system have been destroyed. He also claimed that nine Iranian naval vessels and the Iranian Navy headquarters have been targeted. The military operation will continue until objectives are achieved.
Meanwhile, Israeli media has reported that former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been killed in the airstrikes. He was quoted as saying that Iran would take revenge for the American casualties, and there is a possibility of further American casualties in the operation against Iran.
Trump warned that if the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military, and the police surrender, they may be granted immunity, but if they do not, they will face death. Earlier, in an interview with a British newspaper over the telephone, Trump stated that the war in Iran could last up to a month.
So far, the US has reportedly killed 18 top Iranian officials. When asked whether Saudi Arabia could also launch an attack on Iran due to being targeted in missile attacks, Trump replied that they were fighting, and so were others.
Trump also stated that the war could last up to four weeks, considering Iran is a large and powerful country, but it was also possible that it could end sooner. He emphasized that the results of the attacks had not yet been surprising, as everything was happening according to plan, and the entire Iranian leadership had been eliminated.
The US President also stated that he had discussed the situation with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, and other countries, hoping that after the war, democracy would be established in Iran, and many positive things would happen.
Pat Hagel, a US official, stated that the US mission in Iran was to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons, while Iranian TV reported that the wife of the Supreme Leader, Mansoureh Bagherzadeh, had been seriously injured in the US airstrikes.
The Saudi Embassy stated that the kingdom had always supported diplomatic efforts to reach a reliable agreement with Iran. There have been reports of damage to the historic Golestane Palace in Tehran after the recent US and Israeli airstrikes.
Afghan news agency Amaq reported that several Taliban officials have moved to the Bamiyan province in Afghanistan due to concerns about Pakistani airstrikes. A protest was held in Vienna, Austria, by the Hands of Iran community, representing several Muslim countries.
In the UK, Jamima Khan, the ex-wife of PTI founder Imran Khan, has been fined £1,000 for breaching COVID-19 regulations. The UK has also planned to evacuate British citizens stranded in Gulf countries due to the war.
Donald Trump stated that the UK had blocked the use of the Diego Garcia military base for airstrikes on Iran, citing a decision made by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, which had left him deeply disappointed.
The US Central Command reported that three US F-15E fighter jets crashed in Kuwait, which were destroyed in friendly fire. Israel has targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz.
According to the UAE Ministry of Defense, 3 foreign nationals were killed and 58 others injured in drone attacks carried out by Iran. A recent survey revealed that a clear majority of the US public does not support the ongoing war with Iran. The Iranian Red Crescent reported that 131 cities in Iran were targeted in the US-Israeli airstrikes.
As tensions escalate in the region, the US military has been targeting Iranian aircraft and drone hangers.
