15,000 Iranian targets hit, US says Iran’s leadership forced into hiding.

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): The United States has claimed that it and Israel have jointly attacked more than 15,000 Iranian military targets during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This information was given by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a press conference on Friday.

Hegseth said that since the war began, the United States and Israeli air forces have jointly conducted large-scale military operations. He said that more than 15,000 targets have been struck so far, with more than a thousand strikes conducted on some days. He also said that Friday saw the highest number of strikes recorded so far during the campaign.

The US Defense Secretary claims that Iran's top leadership structure is under pressure and many leaders have gone underground. He also alleged that Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured in the conflict and may have suffered serious facial injuries. However, these claims have not been independently confirmed. A day earlier, Khamenei issued a statement reiterating his resolve to continue the war. Hegseth also said that companies related to Iran's defense industry are being targeted and their military capabilities will be completely destroyed in the future.

Meanwhile, the US military has launched an investigation into the attack on a girls' school in southern Iran. This investigation has been handed over to a senior officer outside the United States Central Command. Media reports said that the initial internal investigation had found the US military's actions possibly responsible for the attack. Hegseth said that the investigation will be completely impartial and will take as much time as it takes. On the other hand, Iran also carried out several attacks targeting some Gulf Arab countries early Friday. After this, US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning and said that Iran will be given a strong response.

Trump wrote on social media that Iran's navy and air force had suffered heavy losses, and its missile and drone systems had also been severely damaged. He said the US would continue to take action to completely weaken the Iranian regime militarily and economically. A day before Trump's statement, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had said that Iran would not hesitate to avenge the blood of its people and had also warned Gulf countries to close US bases.