US/Israel-Iran War (Day 14): 3.2 million people displaced in Iran

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Friday is the fourteenth day of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran.

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Strikes are intensifying, casualties rising, with the majority of them in Iran.

At least 1,348 have been reported dead as a result of continuous strikes.

We bring you major updates on the war on its thirteenth day.

3.2 million people displaced in Iran

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) disclosed on Thursday that at least 3.2 million people have been displaced in Iran since the US and Israel joint strike began on 28 February.

The agency raised concerns about the brewing humanitarian crisis in the country as both the US and Israeli militaries continued their bombardment and military campaign.

“Most of them are reportedly fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas to seek safety.

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“This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs,” the UNHCR said.

Attack on Gulf States continues

As the US and Israel wage war on Iran, its retaliatory attacks continue to intensify, and the Gulf States remain caught in the crossfire.

Waves of Iranian drones and missiles continue to target Gulf countries, including Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

In Oman, two people were killed by debris after the downing of a drone in Sohar province.

Another two were killed in Kuwait.

The Saudi Defence Ministry also said its air defence shot down dozens of drones in different regions of the country.

In Bahrain and Oman, fuel tanks are being hit. Global oil prices have fluctuated wildly this week and Brent crude now sells for over $100 a barrel, up from below $80 when the war started.

New Iranian leader speaks

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Thursday, issued his first statement since he was appointed to take over from his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in missile strikes by Iran and Israel.

The new leader spoke in a televised address on Thursday.

He called for national unity and said the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has closed due to the war, would continue to be closed.

Mr Khamenei also reportedly said attacks on US bases in the region would continue.

He also indicated that the Houthis of Yemen would join the war, saying the Resistance in Yemen “will also do the job.”

Another American aircraft is down

An American refuelling aircraft has gone down over Iraq, bringing to four the number of aircraft the US has lost in the ongoing war with Iran.

At least five people were believed to be on the plane before the crash, with their fate yet to be ascertained.

The US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, the US military said. The aircraft is reportedly a refuelling tanker used to refuel fighter jets in mid-air.

The US military said the crash was “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire” but involved a second US tanker.

Iran warns US against escalating war

Meanwhile, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, has warned the US against escalating the war by attacking the country’s power system.

His statement was in response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to take out Iran’s electric capacity “within one hour”.

Mr Larijani, on Thursday, said Iran would retaliate by plunging the entire region into darkness should this happen.

“If they do that, the whole region will go dark in less than half an hour, and darkness provides ample opportunity to hunt down US servicemen running for safety,” Mr Larijani said on X.

Trump mocks Iranian leaders

On Thursday, Mr Trump critiqued Iran’s leader, describing them as “deranged scumbags,” and stating that it was his great honour to kill them.

In a post on social media late on Friday, Mr Trump said the US was “totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran.”

“We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time – Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today.

“They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!” he wrote.

UK ship struck in Dubai

A UK container ship was also struck by an “unknown projectile” about 35 nautical miles northwest of Dubai and Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.

The incident follows the attack on a Thai-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

However, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said no crew member was injured in this attack.

“UKMTO has received a report of an incident 35NM north of Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates,” the UKMTO. The Master has reported the container ship was struck by an unknown projectile, causing a small fire onboard,” it said.

READ ALSO: US/Israel-Iran War: Another American aircraft goes down

Trump says Iranian sleeper cells in US

Mr Trump said Iranian”sleeper cells” are present in the US and that his administration has begun investigating them.

The US president said he has been briefed on terror alerts and threats, including reported plans to conduct a drone attack in California.

He blamed the presence of the alleged “terrorist” cells in the country now on former President Joe Biden’s “open border” policy.

“A lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border, but we know where most of them are: We’ve got our eye on all of them, I think,” Mr Trump said.

“They came in through the open-border policies of Sleepy Joe Biden, one of the worst, the worst presidents in the history of our country, and we’ve got our eyes on all of them.”