The US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, stated on Friday that the new Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Jamenei, is "injured and likely disfigured" following the attacks that killed his father on the first day of the war in Iran. "Yesterday, he released a statement, actually a rather weak one, but there was no voice or video," noted the Pentagon chief in a press conference where he affirmed that the US and Israel have targeted over 15,000 objectives in the Islamic republic.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran has asked citizens of Arab countries to provide information about the US soldiers deployed in the Middle East, estimated at around 11,000 troops. "The Americans want to use our Arab brothers as human shields. We are obligated to identify the positions of the Americans and attack them," stated a statement released on Friday.
On another note, United States has confirmed that at least four of the six crew members of the KC-135 tanker aircraft that crashed on Thursday in western Iraq have died as rescue operations continue. The Central Command (Centcom) stated that the "circumstances of the incident" are being investigated, emphasizing that the plane crash "was not due to enemy fire or friendly fire," although a pro-Iranian militia, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has claimed responsibility for the downing of the aircraft.
Additionally, NATO defenses have intercepted an Iranian missile that entered Turkish airspace, in the third incident of its kind since the start of this war almost two weeks ago. The projectile was intercepted as it flew over the province of Adana, where the Incirlik air base is located, hosting US troops as well as a Spanish contingent.
Macron Calls for "Calm" and "Cool Heads" After the Death of a French Soldier in Iraq
Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed on Friday, following the death of a French soldier in Iraqi Kurdistan, that "France's position is purely defensive" in the Middle East war and that "it can never justify an attack on France."
"France will continue to demonstrate cool heads, calm, and determination; it will be reliable with respect to our partners, protect our citizens, and defend our interests and security," he declared during a press conference while visiting Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The French president indicated that he would speak "from early afternoon" with the Iraqi Prime Minister.
Mojtaba Jamenei "is injured and likely disfigured," according to Hegseth
Pete Hegseth also stated in his appearance that the new Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Jamenei, is injured and likely disfigured.
The Secretary of Defense also asserted that Iran no longer has the capacity for defense. "Iran has no air defenses. Iran has no Air Force. Iran has no Navy. Their missiles, their missile launchers, and their drones are being destroyed or shot down from the sky," Hegseth said in a press conference.
US Claims to Have Hit Over 15,000 Targets in Iran
The US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, reported in a media briefing that the US and Israel have hit over 15,000 targets in Iran. "Between our air force and the Israelis, we have attacked over 15,000 enemy targets. That's well over 1,000 a day," he said. He also assured that Friday will see the highest number of attacks.
Albares: "We Must Be Prepared for Any Scenario"
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, stated that "we must be prepared for any scenario." In an interview on ETB, the Basque television, the Spanish diplomacy chief mentioned that "nothing is off the table" when asked if Iran could launch a missile at European territory. Although the diplomat emphasized that "there is no need to scare people," he also stressed that it is "an irrational regime that is sending drones and missiles to all countries in the Middle East."
Furthermore, Albares assured that "as long as there is a Spanish citizen who wants to be evacuated, Spain will keep all air or land evacuations open." The minister emphasized that they have already evacuated 8,000 citizens. Reported by Marina Pina.
Merz Considers It a "Mistake" to Lift Sanctions on Russian Oil
The German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, described on Friday as a "mistake" the partial relaxation of sanctions on Russia, after the US decided to temporarily authorize countries to purchase Russian oil in transit to contain the oil price escalation.
"Now relaxing sanctions, regardless of the reasons, is something we consider a mistake," said the chancellor at a press conference with his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Støre, during a visit to the Andøya Space Center in Norway. "We will maintain our support for Ukraine and will not be dissuaded or diverted by the war in Iran," added the chancellor.
"In the framework of the G7, we spoke with the President of the US, there was a clear position from six G7 members. We saw this morning that the US government decided otherwise. We find it wrong," Merz added. "We have a problem with prices, not quantities. We do not know the reasons of the US government that have motivated this decision," highlighted Merz, as reported by Efe.
Iran Seeks Help to Locate and "Attack" US Soldiers Deployed in the Middle East
The intelligence agency of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran has asked citizens of Arab countries to provide information about the US soldiers deployed in the Middle East. In a statement reported by the Tasnim agency, the IRGC requested to locate around 11,000 troops "scattered" in hotels and private locations in various regions of the area and to provide information about them.
"The Americans want to use our Arab brothers as human shields. We are obligated to identify the positions of the Americans and attack them," the note specified. It also urged citizens of Arab countries not to host US military personnel in hotels, stay away from where they are located, and accurately report "their hideouts."
Iran has always insisted that its attacks on targets in Arab countries, especially in the Persian Gulf like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, are exclusively aimed at US bases and targets. In his first message as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, issued on Thursday, Mojtaba Jamenei warned neighboring countries to close those bases "as soon as possible," threatening that those targets will be "inevitably" attacked. Reported by Efe.
Guterres Lands in Beirut for a "Solidarity Visit" with Lebanon
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, announced on Friday his arrival in Beirut for a "solidarity visit" with the people of Lebanon, in the context of the current wave of attacks between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah.
The Lebanese "did not choose this war, they have been dragged into it," he stated on his official X account. The Secretary-General added that neither he nor the United Nations "will spare efforts to fight for the peaceful future that Lebanon and the region deserve," as reported by Efe.
Woman Dies in Israeli Attacks Near Demonstration in Tehran
At least one woman died on Friday in an Israeli attack near a pro-Palestine demonstration attended by thousands of people in central Tehran. "At least one woman participating in the Quds Day demonstrations died today in Tehran in the bombing by the Zionist regime and the US," reported the state news agency IRNA, according to Efe.
The attack occurred mid-morning as thousands of people marched through the city center. An explosion was heard, and a column of smoke appeared, prompting the demonstrators to react with the chant "Allahu Akbar," as seen in videos shared by Iranian media.