US claims it’s ‘winning’ Iran war after 15,000 strikes, says new supreme leader ‘likely disfigured’ (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
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US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has claimed that Iran’s military capabilities have been significantly degraded after Israeli and US forces carried out more than 15,000 strikes on targets across the country.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Hegseth said Iran’s missile volume had fallen 90% and the use of one-way attack drones had dropped 95% since the start of the war, adding that Tehran no longer has the ability to build additional weapons.
Hegseth also dismissed a recent public statement by Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei calling for unity, calling it “weak” and suggesting that the country’s new head of state is “wounded and likely disfigured.”
Khamenei’s father, the previous ayatollah, was killed on the first day of what the new leader described as an unprovoked US-Israeli attack.
Hegseth also touched upon recent statements from top US officials about the US Navy being prepared to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, stating that Washington is still considering its options, describing the waterway as a “tactically complex environment.”
Amid global concerns of a prolonged oil supply shortage, the US Treasury temporarily lifted its sanctions on Russian oil shipments that were loaded on tankers before March 12. The partial relief of restrictions applies to around 100 million barrels of oil, according to Kirill Dmitriev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin who is CEO of a major sovereign wealth fund.
Brent futures have remained highly volatile and continue to trade above the $100 mark on Friday, despite Washington’s attempts to calm the markets.
Here are the latest developments as RT continues to bring you up to date:
The US Treasury temporarily lifted its sanctions on Russian oil shipments in order to reduce the burden on global energy markets. Several countries have already lined up to negotiate deals with Moscow while G7 members slammed the move, insisting on continued pressure on Russia
- US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth refused to acknowledge US fault in the strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab that killed 168 children, saying an investigation is still ongoing and insisting Washington “literally never targets civilians.” Previously, a Pentagon probe reportedly found that outdated US targeting data on a nearby IRGC facility likely caused the attack.
- US CENTCOM confirmed the loss of a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker in “friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury” over western Iraq, insisting it was not the result of “hostile or friendly fire.”
- The US and Israel conducted airstrikes on Tehran during a massive government-organized Quds Day march in support of Palestine
- US President Donald Trump said that the US Navy would be willing to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if needed, but insisted the ships should “show some guts” and cross the waterway on their own, insisting there is “nothing to be afraid of.”
Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here.
13 March 2026
19:52 GMTUS Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has lashed out at the media for not being positive enough about the ongoing US-Israeli attack on Iran. Speaking at a press briefing, Hegseth insisted that the US has been “decimating the radical Iranian regime’s military in a way the world has never seen before,” and dismissed the assessments that Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz for shipping.
“The only thing prohibiting transit in the Straits right now is Iran shooting at shipping. It is open for transit, should Iran not do that,” Hegseth stated.
- 19:26 GMT
Another Iranian missile with a separating warhead has been spotted deploying in the skies above Tel Aviv, Newsmax correspondent Zach Anders has reported. Over a dozen explosions were heard to the south of the city during the attack, he wrote on X.
Another cluster warhead — more than two dozen explosions heard — south of Tel Aviv now. pic.twitter.com/LY6jmjiwJQ
— Zach Anders (@Zachonearth) March 13, 2026 - 19:12 GMT
Ankara will not be drawn into the Israeli-US war on Iran, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
Earlier today, Türkiye said a third ballistic missile allegedly shot from Iran had been shot down.
“During this process, we are engaging in all preventative actions against any threats towards our airspace, just as we did last night,” Erdogan said.
He added that the government’s overriding aim is to keep Türkiye from being pulled into the widening regional conflict.
- 18:53 GMT
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen has urged Congress not to fund the Trump administration’s assault on Iran.
Not one more dime for an illegal war of choice that is making us less safe. The best way to protect our troops, end the killing of school children and civilians, reduce skyrocketing oil and gas prices, and stop wasting billions of taxpayer dollars is to cut off the funding. pic.twitter.com/HUp0F7g0KL
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) March 13, 2026“The best way to protect our troops, end the killing of school children and civilians, reduce skyrocketing oil and gas prices, and stop wasting billions of taxpayer dollars is to cut off the funding,” he wrote on X.
In the US system, Congress is responsible for allocating funds for the federal government, which includes the Pentagon. Since Trump’s Republican Party controls both the Senate and the House of Representatives, it is unlikely that Democrats will be able to successfully defund the war.
- 18:52 GMT
There have been no indications that Iran is “any closer” to creating nuclear weapons, Naeem Salik, Executive Director at the Strategic Vision Institute of Pakistan, has told RT on the sidelines of the Valdai forum.
“As far as Iran is concerned, just last June we heard that we [the US] have decimated their nuclear facilities and their capability, and they have been set back by many years. And suddenly you hear that they are just one week away from making a nuclear weapon. One of those two claims is going to be wrong, both cannot be correct,” he stated.
- 18:22 GMT
The US Department of State has offered a bounty of up to $10 million for information on Iran’s top leadership, promising “reward and relocation” for informants. The department urged the potential tipsters to contact it through its “Tor-based tipline” or Signal messenger.
Got information on these Iranian terrorist leaders?Send us a tip. It could make you eligible for a reward and relocation. pic.twitter.com/y7avkqdGWw
— Rewards for Justice (@RFJ_USA) March 13, 2026 - 17:54 GMT
Trump has dismissed the idea that Ukraine plays a role in helping defend against Iranian drone threats.
“We don’t need their help in drone defense,” Trump said. “We know more about drones than anybody. We have the best drones in the world.”
According to Zelensky, the reality on the ground looks different. Last week, he claimed that 11 countries had tapped Kiev for help in how to counter Iranian drones, but without mentioning the US, however.
- 17:35 GMT
The IDF has claimed it killed two top Hezbollah commanders in Lebanon “who were responsible for rocket fire on Israel.”
The strike took out Rahif Ali Qassem, the chief of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit in the Badr regional division, and Mohammad Baqer Ahmad Ali, the unit’s “firepower management commander,” the IDF said.
The IDF has claimed that Hezbollah is launching most of its rocket and drone attacks on Israel from deeper within southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Lebanese government figures show that nearly 700 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since February 28.
- 17:24 GMT
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been “wounded,” US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has claimed.
During a news conference at the Pentagon, Hegseth said Khamenei is “likely disfigured.”
The Pentagon chief did not provide evidence for his assessment, and Iran has not given any details about Khamenei’s condition. Iranian leaders also did not immediately respond to Hegseth’s claims.
