Hegseth Says March 10 To Be Most Intense Day Of Strikes Against Iran So Far
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says March 10 will be the most intense day of air strikes on Iran since the United States' military operation against the Islamic republic began in cooperation with Israel last month.
"Today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran," Hegseth told a briefing at the Pentagon.
He gave no details on the size of the expected strikes, but added that the objective is to destroy Iranian missiles and its military production capabilities, as well as to destroy Iran's navy.
G7 Energy Ministers To Discuss Jump In Energy Prices Amid US-Israeli Campaign Against Iran
Energy ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations are set to hold a conference call at 12:45 p.m. GMT to discuss soaring energy prices due to the war in Iran.
The call comes a day after oil prices surged through the $100 per barrel mark -- reaching a high of almost $120 -- before retreating to around $92 on March 9 after US President Donald Trump said he could see the war ending "very soon."
Crude oil prices have surged since Iranian attacks on shipping closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28.
During the war, air strikes have hit an oil infrastructure in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
Iran's Kerman Airport, Other Targets, Reportedly Attacked
Following Israeli and US air strikes on various sites in Iran, RFE/RL has verified footage published on social media showing attacks around Kerman Airport on March 10.
The images showed black smoke rising from the bombed area. Similar images were also released of black smoke rising around Shiraz airport and Bandar Abbas.
The Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, reported the attack on Kerman Airport, citing the deputy security officer of the Kerman governor's office, and wrote: "Part of the Kerman city airport was damaged, and two used planes were hit."
CENTCOM and the Israeli military have not yet commented on the latest attacks on Iran.
IRGC Says It Forbids Export Of Even 'Single Liter Of Oil'
Ali Abdullahi, a commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), issued a statement announcing that Mojtaba Khamenei, the new leader of the Islamic republic, and the armed forces are demanding "revenge."
"There is no end to the war. The will of the leadership, our people, and the armed forces to take revenge on mortal enemies is stronger than ever," Abdullahi said in the statement on March 10.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the recently announced new supreme leader of the Islamic republic, was appointed on March 8 but has yet to issue a direct message or give a speech.
While US President Donald Trump announced that the joint US-Israeli operation against the Islamic republic will continue until "final victory," Abdullahi also said that "the US and Israel cannot end the war whenever they want."
These statements come at a time when American officials maintained that the war cannot end until Washington's goals toward the Islamic republic have been achieved.
IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naeini said that despite Trump's warnings, Iran's armed forces "will not allow the export of a single liter of oil from the region to the hostile side and its partners until further notice."
The statement came after Trump wrote on wrote March 9: "I will not allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and attempt to stop the globe's oil supply. And if Iran does anything to do that, they'll get hit at a much, much harder level.'
Iran Tells Women's Soccer Team To Return To Iran
The Iranian Attorney General's Office has called on members of the national women's soccer team to return to the country "in addition to addressing the concerns of their families," according to the judicial body, "to be in the forefront of confronting the conspiracies of the country's enemies."
In the statement, released on March 10, the prosecutor's office did not mention the fact that at least five members of the team have taken refuge in Australia, but wrote: "Some members of our women's soccer team have, unintentionally and with heightened emotions resulting from the conspiracy and mischief of the enemy, behaved in a way that has caused delusional excitement" among the leaders of the United States and Israel.
US President Donald Trump has warned that Australia would make a "very big human mistake" if it allows the team to return to Iran following threats against the athletes for not singing the Islamic republic of Iran's anthem during their first match in Australia.
It was then reported that at least five members of the women's soccer team had applied for asylum, and on the evening of March 9 the Australian Immigration Minister released pictures of his meeting with them and wrote that he had told them that they would be allowed live in safety in Australia.
Araqchi: Talks No Longer On Iran's Agenda
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said talks with Washington are no longer on Iran's agenda and warned that Tehran is prepared to continue missile attacks for "as long as it takes."
"I don't think talking with Americans anymore would be on our agenda anymore," Araqchi told US broadcaster PBS News on March 9.
"We are well prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes," he said.
Australia Grants Humanitarian Visas For Iran Soccer Players
Australia's Home Affairs Minister has announced that five members of Iran's women's soccer team have been granted humanitarian visas.
Yesterday, we reported on the alarming situation facing members of the national team, after an Iranian state TV presenter denounced them as "wartime traitors" for declining to sing along with their country's national anthem.
Trump: If Iran Disrupts Oil, US Will Hit '20 Times Harder'
US President Donald Trump warned that if Iran disrupts oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will hit "twenty times harder" than they have been hit thus far.
"Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
Trump Says Iran Campaign To End 'Very Soon,' Disappointed In Choice Of Khamenei's Son
US President Donald Trump said the military operation launched against Iran last month will end "very soon" and vowed to hit the country "much, much harder" if it blocks oil supplies in the Middle East.
Trump spoke on March 9 after Tehran launched multiple missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states following the announcement that Mojtaba Khamenei would succeed his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as supreme leader.
"We're winning very decisively. We're way ahead of schedule," Trump told a news conference in Florida.
"It's going to be ended soon." Asked whether it would end this week, he suggested it would not but said: "Soon. very soon."
"I will not allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and attempt to stop the globe's oil supply. And if Iran does anything to do that, they'll get hit at a much, much harder level," Trump said.
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