6 U.s. Airmen Die In Crash; Hegseth Says Iran's Leader Is 'likely Disfigured'

WASHINGTON — Six American airmen deployed to operations against Iran were killed aft their refueling craft collapsed successful occidental Iraq, U.S. Central Command said Friday, bringing nan U.S. decease toll successful nan warfare to 13, arsenic Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced nan heaviest time of strikes yet.

The clang progressive 2 craft successful “friendly airspace,” nan Pentagon said, adding that nan different level landed safely. The downed KC-135 refueling tanker is nan 4th U.S. craft to clang during nan warfare against Iran.

“American heroes, each of them,” Hegseth said astatine nan Pentagon connected Friday. “We will shake hands those heroes astatine Dover and their sacrifice will only recommit america to nan resoluteness of this mission.”

Central Command said nan incident is nether investigation but was “not owed to dispute aliases friends fire.”

During nan briefing, Hegseth described nan Iranian leaders arsenic “desperate” and “cowering” underground for illustration rats. He said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei “is wounded and apt disfigured,” but gave nary intelligence to support nan claim.

Khamenei has not been seen successful nationalist since he roseate to leadership, but issued his first nationalist statement Thursday vowing retaliation against U.S. and Israeli attacks, promising that Tehran will proceed to choke disconnected nan world’s astir important lipid way — nan Strait of Hormuz.

“Our revenge will beryllium ne'er ending, not only for nan precocious ultimate leader, but besides for nan humor of each of our martyrs,” he said.

The defense caput said Friday would spot Iran hammered pinch nan heaviest information of aerial strikes yet seen successful nan two-week U.S.-Israeli cognition that has razed buildings, complexes and mill lines each crossed Iran, sidesplitting astatine slightest 1,348 civilians, according to Iranian officials.

“No quarter, nary mercy for our enemies,” Hegseth said.

And while Hegseth insisted that fighting will cease erstwhile nan U.S. defeats Iran’s naval, missile, and atomic weapons capabilities, President Trump’s nationalist statements proceed to sow uncertainty that nan White House and Pentagon are aligned connected nan objectives of nan mission.

Asked Friday by Fox News erstwhile nan warfare mightiness end, Trump said, “When I consciousness it — consciousness it successful my bones.”

Iran’s blockade of nan strait remains Tehran’s foremost leverage against its Western adversaries, and a serious governmental bane for Trump. The International Energy Agency warned Thursday that conflict has created “the largest proviso disruption successful nan history of nan world lipid market,” which has sent lipid prices surging 40% to $95 a tube since Feb. 28.

Some 1,000 ships stay stranded successful nan Persian Gulf, galore of them power tankers that person been incapable to transportation lipid and state shipments from nan Middle East to importers crossed nan globe. Vessels that person attempted to traverse nan embattled transmission person been destroyed successful Iranian attacks. Hegseth described Tehran’s strategy arsenic “an enactment of desperation.”

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations connected Friday reported 20 incidents affecting vessels operating successful and astir nan Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman successful March.

Drone and rocket attacks proceed to assail gulf states, threatening to tie much players into nan conflict. Thick achromatic fume was seen rising complete Dubai’s skyline Friday aft debris from an intercepted Iranian drone onslaught caused a occurrence and insignificant harm to a building wrong nan Dubai International Financial Centre, according to nan Dubai Media Office.

Europe has go progressively involved, too. U.S. long-range bombers person begun flying violative missions from British airbases, moreover arsenic U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer explicitly permitted U.S. forces to usage nan bases “for protect purposes only.” Starmer initially refused to cooperate successful American hostilities successful immoderate capacity, but changed his attack aft he drew disapproval from Trump, who said, “He’s nary Winston Churchill.”

The U.K., France, and Italy each deployed naval assets to nan Eastern Mediterranean land of Cyprus, situated conscionable 125 miles from Lebanon, aft Iranian drone strikes deed U.K. bases. The land has emerged arsenic a strategical — and exposed — nervus halfway successful nan U.S. violative against Iran.

Meanwhile, Israel said Friday its strikes are “continuing and intensifying” successful Lebanon and Iran. The Israel Defense Forces issued caller removal orders successful confederate Lebanon connected Thursday aft overnight airstrikes successful Beirut triggered retaliatory rocket and drone attacks by nan Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Eight civilians were killed and 9 others were wounded successful attacks connected nan Lebanese metropolis of Sidon connected Friday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. More than 100 children person been killed successful nan Israeli assault, nan ministry said.