US, Iran exchange threats as strikes enter 13th night
The United States and Iran exchanged fresh threats on Friday as US forces carried out a 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets, while Tehran announced retaliatory drone attacks on US military facilities in the region and warned against the seizure of its frozen assets.
Trump's asset warning draws Iranian response
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned US President Donald Trump's proposal to use frozen Iranian assets to compensate for any future damage to ships or cargo in the Strait of Hormuz resulting from the conflict.
Calling the idea an "incendiary precedent," Araghchi said confiscating another country's assets for unrelated future claims would undermine global financial security.
"Those who celebrate or profit from such funds should remember: once governments normalize confiscation, no one's assets are safe," he said in a post on X.
Trump said on Thursday that any damage to ships, cargo or related assets in the Strait of Hormuz would be paid for using Iranian funds already under US control. Billions of dollars in Iranian assets remain frozen under US sanctions.
US continues strikes
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it completed a 13th consecutive night of military operations targeting Iranian command centers, drone storage sites, communication networks, coastal surveillance facilities and maritime capabilities.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes were intended to reduce threats to commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The command also said more than 50,000 US troops remain deployed across the Middle East and maintained that commercial vessels continue to navigate the strategic waterway with US military support.
The Iranian army said it launched drone strikes against US military facilities at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain and Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan.
According to Iranian state media, the attacks targeted fuel storage areas, aircraft hangars, maintenance facilities, equipment warehouses and accommodation used by US personnel.
Bahrain's Interior Ministry said warning sirens were activated and urged residents to move to the nearest safe location. There was no immediate confirmation from US, Bahraini or Jordanian authorities regarding the reported attacks or any casualties.
Casualties reported near Ahvaz
Iranian media reported that US strikes near the southwestern city of Ahvaz killed four people and wounded five others.
Separately, reports said air raid sirens sounded in Jordan's capital, Amman, while explosions were heard in several areas of Kuwait, including near US military installations, following the latest round of strikes.
Jordanian and Kuwaiti authorities had not confirmed the reports.
Questions over Pentagon casualty figures
The Pentagon has come under scrutiny after reducing the number of US troop deaths attributed to the Iran conflict on its public casualty website from 18 to 14.
According to *The New York Times*, military officials said four service members killed after President Trump's April ceasefire declaration were removed from the tally because their deaths occurred after the announced truce.
However, acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez attributed the discrepancy to "temporary data disruptions" and "site anomalies," saying the figures would be corrected.
Despite the revision, Trump continued referring to 18 military deaths during a Thursday press briefing.
The *New York Times* also reported that the Pentagon has released limited information on troop casualties and military operations since the collapse of the ceasefire, prompting criticism from former military officials and lawmakers over transparency.
Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges said the administration appeared to be downplaying casualties and failing to provide an accurate account of the conflict, while the Pentagon maintained it remains committed to accurate casualty reporting.
The latest developments underscore the continuing escalation between Washington and Tehran, with both sides carrying out military operations across the region and tensions remaining high around the Strait of Hormuz.x
Source:AA
