Israel’s military launched a new “extensive wave” of air strikes on Iran’s capital Tehran on Friday, March 13, leaving the city covered in thick smoke, as the Strait of Hormuz closure caused Brent crude oil prices to surge past $100 per barrel. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the US and Israel have now struck over 15,000 targets inside Iran, leaving Iran with no air defenses, no navy, and no air force. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public statement, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed as a “tool of pressure” on the United States and Israel. The United Nations refugee agency confirmed that up to 3.2 million Iranians have been displaced since the war began on February 28, while Iran’s UN ambassador stated that at least 1,348 civilians have been killed.
