Trump calls Strait of Hormuz 'something that we don't need'
Trump told reporters that he is talking to countries about policing the Strait.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israel strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.
Iranian state television confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran on the first day of strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen on Sunday to succeed him.
Iran is responding to the operation with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
(Read previous Iran live updates here.)
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Key Headlines
- IRGC declares it continues efforts to 'pursue and kill' Netanyahu
- CENTCOM calls Iranian claims US targeted Gulf countries a 'lie'
- War with Iran ‘will certainly’ end in next few weeks: Secretary Wright
- Pentagon identifies 6 Air Force airmen killed in KC-135 refueling aircraft crash
- Trump repeats calls for other countries to help with Strait of Hormuz
New Iranian supreme leader 'wounded and likely disfigured,' Hegseth says
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khameini is "wounded and likely disfigured," Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Friday.
"His father: dead, he's scared, he's injured, he's on the run and he lacks legitimacy. It's a mess for them. Who's in charge? Iran may not even know," Hegseth said, commenting on why the new supreme leader put out a written statement on Thursday.
"With every passing hour, we know and we know they know, that the military capabilities of their evil regime are crumbling. They can barely communicate, let alone coordinate," Hegseth said.
Refueling plane crash site is active rescue and recovery mission
Gen. Dan Caine addressed the crashed refueling plane incident, saying it is being treated as an active rescue and recovery mission.
“The incident occurred over friendly territory in western Iraq while the crew was on a combat mission, and again, was not the result, as CENTCOM has said, was not the result of hostile or friendly fire," Caine said.
"We're still treating this as an active rescue and recovery operation, as CENTCOM announced this morning, four airmen have been recovered, and the Air Force and U.S. Central Command will provide updates as information becomes available," Caine said.
'Don't need to worry' about Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth says
Speaking about the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said we "don’t need to worry" about it.
Reading news headlines, Hegseth commented on claims the "Trump administration underestimated the Iran wars impact on the Strait of Hormuz," saying that is "patently ridiculous."
"For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do, hold the strait hostage," he said.
US ramping up strikes on Iran again, planning highest volume of strikes Friday, Hegseth says
The U.S. is planning to continue showing "no mercy" as the war with Iran continues and it ramps up strikes once again.
"Today will be yet again, the highest volume of strikes that America has put over the skies of Iran and Tehran," Hegseth said.