A US KC-135 tanker plane has crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury amidst an incident involving a second aircraft. CENTCOM confirmed no hostile fire was involved, but multiple casualties are feared. The status of the crew remains unknown as rescue efforts continue.
Trump Vows to Crush Iran’s “Evil Empire”
In the wake of the crash, former President Donald Trump doubled down on his hardline stance against Iran, declaring on Truth Social: “The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money. BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stopping an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World.”
Oil prices surged past $100 a barrel following recent attacks on cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping chokepoint.
Israel Strikes Iranian Nuclear Site
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) revealed it had targeted the Taleghan compound in Iran, claiming the site was central to developing nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the strikes aim to push Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes underground and called for Iranians to rise against their government.
War Conditions and Rising Tensions
- Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, outlined three conditions to end the conflict: recognition of Iran’s “legitimate rights,” reparations, and firm guarantees against future attacks.
- Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, reportedly in a coma and missing a leg, holds the final say on wartime decisions in Tehran.
- Trump has warned of Iranian sleeper cells allegedly allowed into the US under Joe Biden’s administration, raising fears of revenge attacks on American soil.
- At least 16 cargo vessels have been struck since the war began, including three in the last 24 hours near Iraq and the UAE.
- Tehran threatens to push oil prices to $200 by escalating pressure on the Strait of Hormuz.
