The military offensive by the US and Israel against Iran has reached its third week, characterized by persistent long-range strikes and a mounting exchange of rhetoric between the two sides.
The US government maintains its position that it is “winning” the conflict with Iran, claiming the nation’s military capacity has been substantially weakened following over 15,000 joint Israeli and US airstrikes on various targets within the country.
At a press conference on Friday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reported that the frequency of Iranian missile and suicide drone attacks has decreased by approximately 90% since the initial phase of the conflict. He claimed that Tehran has lost the ability to manufacture new weapons and that its leadership is now in hiding.
“Iran’s leadership is in no better shape, desperate and hiding, they’ve gone underground, cowering. That’s what rats do,” Hegseth stated.
Concurrently, senior Iranian figures appeared publicly in several cities to join demonstrations for International Al-Quds Day, an annual event in support of Palestine initiated by Tehran in 1979. President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, and other high-ranking officials were observed walking with the crowds. Larijani used the occasion to mock Hegseth, remarking that Iran’s leaders have always been “and still are among the people,” in contrast to American politicians who, he suggested, prefer “Epstein’s island.”
Below are the most recent developments from RT’s ongoing coverage:
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The US Treasury Department has temporarily suspended sanctions on Russian oil shipments to alleviate strain on global energy markets. Several nations have already begun arranging deals with Moscow, while G7 members criticized the decision, demanding that pressure on Russia be maintained.
- The US and Israel executed airstrikes on Tehran while a large, government-coordinated Quds Day march in solidarity with Palestine was underway.
- US CENTCOM has confirmed the deaths of all six crew members aboard a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker that crashed in “friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury” over western Iraq.
- US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has criticized the media for its insufficiently positive reporting on the ongoing US-Israeli offensive in Iran. During a press briefing, Hegseth contended that the US is “decimating the radical Iranian regime’s military in a way the world has never seen before.”
Continuous updates are available in our live feed below. Our earlier reports can be accessed here.