U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Iran will be “hit very hard” in the coming days, describing Iranian leaders as “deranged scumbags,” as reports emerge of relentless bombing and escalating violence across the Middle East. The comments came as U.S. and Israeli warplanes launched successive attacks on Iran and the wider region on Friday.
Escalating Conflict and Regional Chaos
One strike reportedly hit near a square close to Tehran University, where crowds had gathered in support of the Iranian regime. Video from the semiofficial Tasnim news agency showed smoke rising as demonstrators chanted “Death to Israel!” and “Death to America!”
Further Israeli strikes occurred in Lebanon, where 800,000 people have been displaced. Hezbollah and Iran launched missile and drone attacks on targets in Israel, and Iran reportedly attacked civilian infrastructure in Gulf states.
The U.S. reported that six servicemen were killed in an accident involving a tanker plane used for mid-air refuelling in Iraq. A French soldier was also killed in a drone strike by a pro-Iranian militia group in Iraq.
Trump’s Remarks and U.S. Assessment
In a social media post, Trump wrote, “Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today … They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!”
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Iranian leaders were “desperate and hiding, they’ve gone underground.”
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a defiant statement on Thursday pledging to continue fighting, and Hegseth claimed Khamenei had been “wounded and likely disfigured,” noting the statement was delivered without voice or video.
Reports from Tehran and Regional Impacts
Residents of Tehran reported continuous explosions since the start of the conflict following an Israeli strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s ruler for 37 years. One resident, a 66-year-old retired professor, pleaded for international intervention, stating, “The buildings are shaking … There’s rubble everywhere and people are still risking their lives to go to work.”
A shopkeeper in central Tehran reported counting six explosions within the past hour, describing the situation as frightening and marked by frequent power outages.
Israel announced another wave of strikes targeting infrastructure in Iran, claiming to have hit more than 200 targets in the past 24 hours, including missile launchers and weapons production sites. Hegseth said more than 15,000 “enemy targets” had been struck since the beginning of the conflict.
Stock markets rallied after steep drops on Thursday as oil prices fell slightly. Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies travel, by attacking shipping there.
The U.S. is “dealing with” Iran’s attacks in the strait of Hormuz, Hegseth said, adding that Iran had not yet mined the waterway. European countries, including France, have reportedly begun talks with Tehran to negotiate safe passage for their ships, though Italy denied the report.
Further Attacks and Casualties
Iran has responded with daily attacks on oil and other infrastructure around the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia reported downing nearly 50 drones sent in multiple waves on Friday. In Oman, two people were killed when drones crashed in an industrial area in Sohar.
The Dubai International Financial Center sustained damage from debris after authorities intercepted an attack. Iran had previously stated its intention to target banks and financial institutions following a strike on a bank in Tehran, and the Revolutionary Guards announced new missile and drone launches at Israel in coordination with Hezbollah.
In Lebanon, at least eight people were killed and nine wounded in an Israeli strike on the southern coastal city of Sidon. Israel’s military also hit the Zrarieh Bridge, spanning Lebanon’s Litani River, claiming it was used by Hezbollah militants, though no evidence was provided.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the strikes were “just the beginning” and that Lebanon would “pay an increasing price” for damage to infrastructure used by Hezbollah. More than 600 people have been killed in Lebanon since the recent fighting began.
Iranian authorities report over 1,300 deaths in Iran, while Israel has reported 12 deaths. The U.S. has lost at least 13 service members, with another eight suffering severe injuries. In northern Israel, nearly 60 people were wounded after Hezbollah fired rocket salvoes.
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