US says 'most intense' strikes on Iran underway as Tehran vows powerful missile response
"The operation aims to destroy Iran’s missile stockpiles and launchers, dismantle its defence industrial base, weaken its navy and permanently prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons," US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says
Highlights
- US says today will see the most intense strikes on Iran since the war began
- Washington claims Iran's missile and drone attacks have sharply declined
- Iran rejects the claim, saying it is deploying more powerful missiles
- At least 40 people killed near Tehran after heavy overnight bombardment
- Israel–Hezbollah clashes continue, with Lebanon death toll nearing 500
- US considering naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the latest round of American strikes on Iran will be the "most intense" since the conflict began, as Tehran vowed to respond with more powerful missiles.
Speaking at a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth said the ongoing military campaign – named Operation Epic Fury – would involve the largest deployment of fighter jets and bombers so far, reports BBC.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"Today will be our most intense day of strikes inside Iran. The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes," he said, adding that the operation aims to destroy Iran's missile stockpiles and launchers, dismantle its defence industrial base, weaken its navy and permanently prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Hegseth claimed US forces are "crushing the enemy" and conducting operations according to their own timeline. He also said Iran had fired the lowest number of missiles in a 24-hour period since the war began, suggesting that the strikes were degrading Iran's military capabilities.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine echoed the assessment, saying ballistic missile attacks have dropped by around 90% from the initial phase of the conflict, while one-way attack drones have decreased by 83%.
Hegseth further warned that Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, should heed US warnings against pursuing nuclear weapons.
However, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rejected US claims that its missile programme had been destroyed, saying it was deploying projectiles in greater numbers with warheads weighing more than one tonne, reports Al Jazeera.
Tehran has continued counterattacks on Israel and US assets across the Middle East, including targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Reports said one person was killed in Manama and two others in central Israel during the attacks.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities reported that overnight bombardment near Tehran's Risalat Square killed at least 40 people, in what witnesses described as some of the heaviest strikes since the conflict began.
Residents in Tehran told BBC that the latest airstrikes caused extensive damage to buildings, leaving cracks in walls and making it difficult for people to sleep amid ongoing bombardment.
The conflict has also spilled into neighbouring Lebanon, where Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters continue exchanging fire. The death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon has approached 500 people, according to media reports.
Amid growing regional tensions, the US military is also considering options to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the safety of global shipping routes, officials said.
US President Donald Trump earlier said the war was "very far ahead of schedule" and close to completion, though he provided few details on the timeline. Oil prices, which had surged above $100 per barrel earlier in the week, later eased to around $90 following his remarks.
The United Kingdom has also prepared a naval support vessel, RFA Lyme Bay, in case it is needed to assist operations in the Eastern Mediterranean as the conflict continues to escalate.
