US to Bombard Iran as Pentagon Claims Supreme Chief Mojtaba Khamenei is ‘Disfigured’

Listed here are 5 key takeaways from Hegseth’s briefing:

1. 01
   

   ‘Highest ​variety of ​US ⁠strikes on Friday’

   Hegseth mentioned that on Friday, the US will launch “the best quantity of strikes that America has put over the skies of Iran.” This comes a day after the US navy mentioned that American forces struck greater than 6,000 targets for the reason that operation started. The targets included greater than 30 minelaying vessels.

   Apart from the assaults on Iran’s navy property, the US and Israel have struck oil reserves, refineries and a number of other different strategic property belonging to Tehran.

2. 02
   

   Supreme Chief ⁠Mojtaba ​Khamenei ​’is wounded ​and ⁠possible disfigured’

   Hegseth ⁠informed ⁠the information briefing that Iran’s newly elected Supreme Chief ⁠Mojtaba ​Khamenei ​is wounded ​and ⁠possible disfigured. Mojtaba was elected to succeed his father late Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 8.

   “We all know the brand new so-called not so supreme chief is wounded and sure disfigured. He ‌put out an announcement yesterday. A weak one, really, however there was no voice and there was no video. It was a written assertion,” Hegseth mentioned.

   The mid-level cleric, recognized for his shut affiliation with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was reportedly wounded within the preliminary US-Israeli coordinated strikes on February 28 that killed his father. He has not made a public look for the reason that battle started.

3. 03
   

   ‘All of Iran’s defence corporations will quickly be destroyed’

   Hegseth mentioned Iran’s missile quantity is down 90 per cent and its one-way assault drones lowered by 95%, including that very quickly all of its defence corporations “can be destroyed.”

   The US and Israel have been finishing up strikes in opposition to Iran’s ballistic missile and drone infrastructure in phases. Having focused Tehran’s launchers and warheads, they’ll now hit their provide chains.

4. 04
   

   ‘Iranian leaders have gone underground’

   Hegseth mentioned Iranian management has gone underground, including that they’re transferring to bunkers and civilian areas.

   The US and Israel have pursued a method of skimming off Tehran’s prime management in a bid to pressure regime change by boosting confidence amongst dissidents.

   Within the first half of January, the Islamic Republic witnessed the biggest anti-regime rebellion since its founding. It was adopted by a brutal crackdown, with experiences indicating roughly 30,000 fatalities.

5. 05
   

   ‘Trump holds the playing cards’

   Hegseth mentioned US President Donald Trump “holds the playing cards” and can determine when to strike. Earlier on Monday, Trump mentioned that the “conflict may be very full,” however days later, Mojtaba made his first public assertion, vowing to maintain combating and threatening to open “different fronts” within the conflict.

   For the reason that conflict started, Iran has pursued a method of choking commerce by the Strait of Hormuz – the transit for greater than a fifth of the world’s vitality provides – triggering an vitality disaster.

   On Friday, the Related Press reported that a minimum of 19 industrial vessels have been attacked or broken within the Persian Gulf and surrounding areas for the reason that begin of the battle. Tehran has been focusing on gasoline tankers and associated property within the area utilizing drones and ballistic missiles to strain US regional allies to steer Washington to finish its assault.

   To fight hovering vitality costs and shortages, the Worldwide Vitality Company (IEA) introduced that it might launch 400 million barrels of oil. The US additionally introduced a 30-day sanctions waiver for Russian crude, offering aid to Moscow amid the continuing conflict in Ukraine.