Releasing an overview of the first 10 days of war, the United States Central Command said more than 5,000 targets have been struck in Iran so far and over 50 Iranian ships have been damaged or destroyed.
CENTCOM also released a detailed list of assets deployed by the United States in the war.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he does not “know enough” about reports that a Tomahawk cruise missile may have struck a school in Iran. The comments came after a reporter questioned how Iran could have used the missile when it is widely known to be operated by the US military in the current conflict.
“The Tomahawk, which is one of the most powerful weapons around, is used by and sold by other countries,” Trump said. “Iran also has some Tomahawks… I just don’t know enough about it. I think it’s something that I was told is under investigation.”
The controversy centres on an explosion that hit an elementary school in the southern Iranian city of Minab on February 28, the same day large-scale strikes began across Iran. Iranian authorities say the attack killed more than 150 people, many of them children, and have blamed the United States and Israel. Washington has rejected the accusation and says the incident is under investigation.
A report by The New York Times stated it had authenticated video released by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency showing what appeared to be a Tomahawk missile striking a structure near the school.
According to the newspaper, the only military using Tomahawk missiles in the present war is the United States. The footage reportedly shows dust and smoke rising from the direction of the school shortly after a series of explosions near a nearby military facility.
Meanwhile, Iran has named Mojtaba Khameini, son of late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader. Khameini was killed after the US and Israel targeted his residence in Tehran on the first day of the conflict. Several family members of Khamenei were also killed.
In retaliation, Iran began targeting both Israel and Gulf countries that host US bases in the region and civilian infrastructure in those countries. On Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian “apologised” and said that Iran would target Gulf countries only if attacked first.
Earlier, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Argahchi suggested that the powerful Islamic Guards Revolutionary Corps, which report to the supreme leader, were “directionless” in absence of an authority.
