Iran live updates: Tehran's military urges 'retaliation' for Khamenei killing

In a statement released Sunday, Iran's armed forces vowed to continue their "resistance" to the U.S. and Israel until their "complete defeat."

"The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran has pledged to continue resistance against the United States and the Israeli regime in the region until the complete defeat of its enemies and the fulfillment of the Iranian people's demands," the statement said, in part, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

The statement was released Sunday to "mark the anniversary of the return of Iranian prisoners of war following the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War," according to the statement, which also called for "retaliation over the assassination" of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the IRNA said.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, meanwhile, said in statements carried by IRNA and the semi-official Fars News Agency that Tehran had already achieved victory over the U.S. and Israel.

Ghalibaf claimed that the U.S. and Israel had failed to achieve any of their goals, describing the June Memorandum of Understanding signed with the U.S. as "a document of pride and victory" and "a step towards solidifying our victory in the diplomatic arena."

-ABC News' Rashid Haddou

U.S. Central Command said in a post to X on Saturday that commander Adm. Brad Cooper had completed a 10-day trip to the Middle East, amid the continued standoff with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.

Cooper's visit included visits to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, CENTCOM said, as well as a visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier which is deployed to the region.

Iran has called for the release of three pilots it says have been detained in Qatar after ejecting from their aircraft following what Tehran described as "enemy anti-aircraft fire" at the start of the U.S.-Iran war.

In a letter published by Iranian state media on Saturday, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Bagherzadeh appealed to the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), alleging the pilots have been held in Qatar for the past six months.

"Despite all diplomatic efforts and follow-ups made, Qatar has not allowed the prisoners to meet, be interviewed, or contact their families and the responsible authorities," the letter said.

"Despite all diplomatic efforts and follow-ups made, Qatar has not allowed the prisoners to meet, be interviewed, or contact their families and the responsible authorities," the letter said.

Bagherzadeh accused Qatar of violating the pilots' "fundamental rights" and urged the ICRC to intervene.

Qatar has strongly rejected the allegations.

"We categorically deny the claims circulating regarding the detention of Iranian pilots," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Mohammed Al Ansari wrote on social media on Saturday, adding that Qatar had established contact with the pilots after what he described as "their violation of Qatari airspace," but received no response.

"The necessary measures were taken to defend our territory in accordance with international law," he said.

Al Ansari added that Qatar's search-and-rescue teams had "carried out their duties to the fullest in searching for the remains of the pilots."

He said Qatar had also contacted Iran to arrange the handover of the remains of one pilot whose body was recovered and had invited Iranian officials to visit the country for a briefing on the search and rescue operation. According to Al Ansari, Tehran has not responded to that invitation.

-ABC News' Jamie Dorrington

Hezbollah accused Israel of "deliberately" targeting families, children and women "in their homes, many of whom were reduced to human remains, followed by claims that the locations were military sites," in a statement Saturday.

"Netanyahu, who is the subject of proceedings before the International Criminal Court over war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza, is once again presiding over the killing of Lebanese civilians," Hezbollah said in a statement.

"More than 700 children, along with their mothers, have been killed in the war on Lebanon, and today another entire family has been wiped out following orders issued by Netanyahu," Hezbollah said.

Hezbollah said "false claims made by a leader whose forces have killed children will not deceive international public opinion, nor will they alter the overwhelming facts on the ground."

"Civilians may not be deliberately targeted, and their civilian status does not cease to protect them because of their political affiliation or alleged political sympathies," Hezbollah said.

"Where a ceasefire or truce is in effect, attacks against civilians remain subject to these fundamental protections. Any claim that a civilian location constitutes a military objective must be assessed according to the applicable rules of international humanitarian law and cannot, by itself, remove the protection afforded to civilians," Hezbollah said.