Middle East War Day 14: US aircraft crashes in Iraq, Netanyahu warns of toppling Iran regime
US-Israel Iran war Day 14: A KC-135 aircraft crashed in Iraq, Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed revenge and Netanyahu has warned of an Iranian regime change again. Here's all that has happened yesterday.
March 13 marks the fourteenth day of war between the United States-Israel and Iran. The war began on February 28 with joint US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Around 2,000 people have been killed during the strikes on Iran by the US and Israel.
Here are the top developments as the war enters into Day 14:
US military lost a refuelling aircraft in Iraq
A US military refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq while taking part in operations linked to the war with Iran. Rescue operations are under way. The aircraft involved was a KC-135 tanker used for aerial refueling. US Central Command said the crash did not result in any kind of fire.
New Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba said ‘will avenge blood of martyrs’
New Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first comments since the war broke out. He vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz shut and called on neighbouring countries to close US bases on their territory if they want Iran to not attack further.
A TV presenter read out his comment, "I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs.”
Israeli PM Netanyahu says ‘we will topple the regime’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his first news conference since the US and Israeli airstrikes started. He said, "I will not detail the actions we are taking. We are creating the optimal conditions for toppling the regime but I won't deny that I can't tell you with all certainty that the people of Iran will topple the [Iranian] regime - a regime is toppled from the inside.”
Emmanuel Macron says French soldier killed in attack on Iraq
President Emanuel Macron has announced that a Chief Warrant Officer died during an attack in Iraq’s Erbil region that also injured 'several' other French soldiers, and which he linked to the war with Iran.
“Several of our soldiers have been wounded. France stands by their side and with their loved ones,” he added. The president said French troops were based in Iraq as part of the fight against the ISIS group.
Indian sailor who was a part of a crew of US owned tanker killed in Iraq
An Indian sailor was killed after a US-owned tanker was attacked near Basra on March 11 amid Iran-Israel tensions. The sailor was part of a crew on the US-owned tanker MT Safesea Vishnu. A total of 16 Indians were part of the crew. So far three Indian sailors have been confirmed dead in the ongoing West Asia war.
US issued 30-day license for countries to buy sanctioned Russian crude oil
In an effort to stabilise global energy markets, the US on Thursday issued a 30-day licence for countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea. The US Secretary of Treasury said,
"The temporary increase in oil prices is a short-term and temporary disruption that will result in a massive benefit to our nation and economy in the long-term.”
Trump administration says cost of first 6 days of Iran war
The cost of the United States’s war with Iran in just six days is estimated to have been at least 11.3 billion USD. These estimates were shared in a closed briefing with Pentagon officials.
However, the estimate covers only the initial cost of the war excluding resources invested in personnel buildup and military hardware ahead of the strike. The actual cost of the war is expected to go up.
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