US President Donald Trump has said the United States should have a role in deciding who will lead Iran after the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In a telephone interview with Reuters, he stated that Washington wants to be involved in shaping the country’s future leadership.
Trump also suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son and a possible successor, would be an unlikely choice.
In an interview with NBC, he added that he already has several candidates in mind and is trying to ensure they survive the current conflict. However, he did not disclose their names.
The offensive continues
The conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States has entered its sixth day, with attacks continuing in several locations. Iran has launched new strikes on Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In Bahrain, a rocket strike caused a fire at an oil refinery.
The Israeli army has called on residents in parts of Tehran to evacuate. Iranian media reported explosions in several areas of the capital. According to state television, 17 people were killed in an air strike on a guesthouse north-west of the city.
‘Today is worse than yesterday. They are attacking northern Tehran. We have nowhere to go, it’s like a war zone,’ said 36-year-old Mohammadreza from the Iranian capital in a telephone interview, with explosions audible in the background.
At least 1,230 people have died in Iran since the fighting began, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. Among the victims are 175 schoolgirls and staff at a primary school in the city of Minab, which was hit on the first day of the conflict. In Lebanon, the fighting has claimed dozens more lives.
US has enough ammunition
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said that the United States has enough ammunition to continue operations without time constraints. According to Brad Cooper, commander of US forces in the Middle East, US troops have hit at least 30 Iranian ships, including a large vessel designed to launch drones.
The strikes also targeted facilities associated with missile production and underground ballistic missile launchers. Cooper also said that Iran had reduced its missile attacks by about 90 per cent compared with the first day.
Azerbaijan accused Iran of attacking its territory with drones and temporarily closed its airspace in the south of the country. Iran denied the accusations, but analysts say the incident shows how quickly the war is spreading.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the results of the operation in Iran so far are significant, but stressed that ‘there is still a lot of work ahead’. According to sources familiar with the Israeli army’s plans, the next phase of the operation may focus on underground bunkers where Iran stores its missiles.
Ukraine's help
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that Kyiv will provide the United States with specific assistance in defending against Iranian Shahed drones in the Middle East.
He wrote on social media that Ukraine had received a request from the US for support in protecting against these drones in the region and that he had instructed that the necessary resources and the presence of Ukrainian specialists be provided.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Washington has requested assistance in protecting its bases and troops in some Middle Eastern countries. The same source said that Zelenskyy subsequently instructed the Ukrainian army to provide such support and that Ukrainian experts should start work in the coming days.
Ukraine has extensive practical experience in destroying Shahed drones from its war with Russia, which deploys these Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles. Trump said in a telephone interview with Reuters on Thursday that he would accept help from any country if it could help defend against Iranian drones.
(reuters, nbc, lud)