(Image source from: AP)
USA President Donald Trump mentioned on Friday that the United States had carried out significant bombing on military locations at Iran's key oil site, Kharg Island, and that the US Navy would soon start protecting tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a message on Truth Social, Trump stated that military locations on Kharg Island, responsible for nearly all of Iran's oil exports, had been "completely destroyed" in "one of the strongest bombing operations in Middle Eastern history. " He indicated that he had decided not to attack the oil facilities on the island at this time. "Our weapons are the most advanced and powerful ever known globally, but for the sake of morality, I have decided NOT to destroy the oil infrastructure on the island. However, if Iran or anyone else interferes with the safe passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, I will reconsider this choice immediately," the US president expressed.
He commented that Iran has "no ability to protect anything we aim to strike. " "They are powerless! Iran will NEVER possess a nuclear weapon, nor will it be capable of threatening the United States, the Middle East, or the world in general! Iran's military and all others associated with this terrorist regime would do well to surrender their weapons and preserve what little remains of their country, which isn't much," he stated. With oil prices rising, Trump was questioned about when the US Navy would start escorting tankers through the vital Strait of Hormuz. "It will happen soon, very soon," he replied. Attacks from Iran have nearly stopped shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a route where a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas usually flows. Meanwhile, several leading Iranian officials participated in a defiant rally in Tehran, marching alongside participants holding signs that said "Death to America" and "Death to Israel. " As the US increased its bombing in Iran, Tehran responded with a new series of drone and missile strikes on Israel and its Gulf neighbors.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continued fiercely, with the Lebanese health ministry reporting that an Israeli attack on a primary healthcare center in southern Lebanon had resulted in the deaths of at least 12 healthcare workers on Friday. Lebanese officials claimed that Israeli assaults aimed at eliminating the Iranian ally Hezbollah had resulted in at least 773 deaths in Lebanon. The United States and Israel had been cautious around Kharg Island up to this point, but US officials have indicated that capturing the island might be a possibility. Reports from the Wall Street Journal and New York Times on Friday stated that the Pentagon had sent the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, based in Japan, to the area with around 2,500 Marines onboard. Strong explosions were felt in Tehran on Friday night after the United States committed to increasing air strikes, while Iranian state media reported a new barrage of missiles aimed at Israel had been launched.
Explosions were heard in Doha early on Saturday, and Qatar's defense officials announced that their military had intercepted missiles aimed at the country. The defense ministry of Saudi Arabia reported that its forces intercepted many drones on Friday, while Turkey mentioned that NATO forces brought down a ballistic missile fired from Iran, marking the third interception of this kind during the conflict. Iran aims to demonstrate its resilience and control in the ongoing war, even after its supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed when the US-Israeli operation began on February 28. Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been appointed as the new supreme leader, but he has not been seen in public and is reported to be injured. The US government has offered a reward of $10 million for information on Mojtaba Khamenei's location. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at a news conference that American forces would intensify their bombardment of Iran on Friday more than they had on any previous day in this conflict.
The Pentagon has reported that the US and Israel have hit over 15,000 targets in Iran within the last two weeks. The Israeli military stated it had conducted 7,600 strikes against the nation, primarily focused on its missile program. The ongoing war has caused turmoil in global markets, significantly raising oil prices. Brent crude oil prices surged over 42 percent, making markets and governments uneasy about energy supplies and rising inflation. On Friday, oil prices remained above $100 per barrel. In Iran, the Revolutionary Guards have issued warnings of a stronger reaction to any anti-government protests following a January incident that resulted in thousands of casualties.
Since the start of the war, Iranian authorities have enforced an internet blackout. Iranians who spoke to AFP anonymously painted a bleak picture of cities in devastation and dwindling cash supplies.
A woman from Kermanshah in western Iran shared with AFP that many people from Tehran had fled to escape the air strikes, leading to increased demand for food and limited medicine, with prices nearly doubling. The UN refugee agency estimates that as many as 3.2 million people have been forced to leave their homes in Iran since the conflict began. On March 8, Iran's health ministry stated that more than 1,200 people had lost their lives, a number AFP has not been able to independently verify. The US military has reported the loss of 13 personnel since the war began, including six crew members of a refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq, which officials stated was not due to enemy fire.
