CENTCOM says 'US forces control the skies,' releases video of fresh strikes on Iran

China is negotiating with Iran to ensure safe passage for crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran intensifies, sources said, Reuters reported Thursday.

The move comes as the Strait and surrounding regional waterways have been left all but shut. China, which maintains relations with Iran and relies heavily on Middle Eastern energy, has urged Tehran to allow safe transit for its vessels, the three diplomatic sources said.

The world’s second-largest economy receives about 45% of its oil imports through the Strait. Ship-tracking data showed that a tanker named the Iron Maiden passed through the waterway overnight after changing its signaling to “China-owned,” though analysts say many more sailings would be needed to stabilize global markets.

Crude oil prices are up more than 15% since the war began.

Crude transits through the Strait fell to four vessels on March 1, the day after hostilities broke out, compared with an average of 24 per day since January, according to Vortexa data. Around 300 oil tankers are still inside the Strait, according to Vortexa and ship tracker Kpler, Reuters said.

Israel's National Security Council (NSC) issued a heightened travel advisory Thursday for Israelis abroad.

The warning cited concerns over “terrorist elements” seeking to harm Israeli citizens abroad.

“In light of serious concerns that terrorist elements are operating with the aim of harming Israelis abroad, the NSC urges Israelis overseas to maintain increased vigilance and adhere to safety precautions,” the advisory said.

The warning comes amid a surge in threats and hostile activity linked to Iranian security agencies following the launch of Operation Roaring Lion.

On March 1, a lone attacker opened fire in an entertainment district in Austin, Texas, following the American strike in Iran.

Two days later, on March 3, shots were fired at Jewish targets in Toronto, Canada, in a suspected targeted attack, and the perpetrator remains at large.

The advisory also noted that in “recent days, several attempts to carry out terrorist attacks against Israelis have been thwarted and disrupted” and set out guidelines.

A second advisory issued Thursday also urged Israeli nationals abroad to "avoid visiting sites identified as Jewish or Israeli, including Chabad houses and synagogues."

The U.S. military has unveiled a new battlefield capability showcasing long-range Precision Strike Missiles in combat operations against Iran.

A video from U.S. Central Command captures the next-generation weapons system designed to expand reach.

Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin highlighted the significance of the footage.

“These are long-range precision strike missiles called Prsms, which were developed to replace tactical ballistic missiles,” Griffin said.

“They fly at incredibly high speeds and can hit time-sensitive targets. They fly hundreds of miles farther than the ATACMS, which the U.S. military had used, and they only had a 186-mile range, still pretty far.

“This Prsm destroys targets more than 310 miles away. One launch pad holds two Prism rounds,” Griffin clarified

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir issued a recorded statement Thursday stating that Israel has succeeded in "suppressing" Iran's ballistic missile system.

"We are now moving to the next phase of the campaign, in which we will increase strikes on the regime's foundations and its military capabilities,” Zamir said.

“We have additional surprising moves, which I do not intend to reveal. We will pursue all our enemies and reach them," he said.

"Within 24 hours, our pilots paved the way to Tehran. We destroyed about 80% of air defense systems and achieved almost complete air superiority in Iranian skies. We neutralized and destroyed more than 60% of ballistic missile launchers,” the chief of staff said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) released audio on Thursday of a civilian in Tehran describing what it's like on the ground as Operation Epic Fury rocks Iran.

"To us here, the war did not start four days ago. It started when we heard the initial news of a piling up of the forces in the region and preparations for war. Now, with the war going on, we hear constant explosions and there is no respite from this," the unidentified civilian said.

The civilian said that the frequency of explosions has made people so nervous that even everyday noises can cause panic attacks.

"Any moment you can expect a loud noise. This has made us so nervous that any loud noise, including the noise of a car passing by, gives us a panic attack," the civilian said.

Even with the noise of the explosions, what the civilian, who said he was born and raised in Tehran, noticed was that the city has become a ghost town as people have either fled the war or limited movements in order to stay safe from aerial attacks.

"As a person who was born and lived his whole life in this city, I have never seen the city so quiet," the civilian said.

"Some of the people of my city have left, many others stayed in, trying to limit movements to avoid getting caught in the aerial attacks on the city that never seem to come to an end. You don't see people around. My city was a very big city and busy. I'm not used to seeing my city so calm and quiet."

The U.S. and Israel have carried out air and sea attacks on Iran since the operation began on Saturday. The operation has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, according to The Associated Press.

Additionally, six U.S. service members in Kuwait were killed in the hostilities.

The ICRC has expressed concerns about the situation in Iran, with the organization's president saying on day one of Operation Epic Fury that it could lead to "devastating consequences for civilians."

"The military escalation in the Middle East is igniting a dangerous chain reaction across the region, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians," ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said.

This is an excerpt from a report by Rachel Wolf.

As U.S. and Israeli military pressure on Iran intensifies, and President Donald Trump signals support for Kurdish forces, Kurdish opposition groups along the country’s western frontier tell Fox News Digital they are watching closely for an opportunity to strike back against the Islamic Republic, which they have fought for decades.

Kako Aliyar, a member of the leadership committee of the Kurdish opposition party Komala, told Fox News Digital from an undisclosed location in Iraq that the Kurdish movements are ready to act if conditions allow.

"Kurds have been waiting for a moment to do something," Aliyar said. "We believe that those moments are not far from us."

But Aliyar said Kurdish forces cannot yet move against the regime because Iran still retains the ability to launch missile and drone attacks, which opposition fighters would struggle to defend against.

Aliyar said Iranian forces continue to target Kurdish opposition bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

Trump signaled support for Kurdish fighters launching an offensive against Iran, saying in a telephone interview with Reuters Thursday that he would back such a move.

"I think it's wonderful that they want to do that — I'd be all for it," Trump said.

Asked whether the United States would provide air cover for a Kurdish offensive, Trump declined to elaborate.

"I can't tell you that," he said.

Aliyar said Kurdish groups remain under pressure from Iran and continue to face attacks on their bases across the border in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

"Our camps, the Kurdish political parties, are still under attack by the Iranian regime, and we can’t go into detail," he said.

Still, he indicated that if the opportunity arises, Kurdish fighters would attempt to return to Iranian territory.

"If we get an opportunity to go back to our own country, we will use it," he said.

The comments come as Iranian Kurdish opposition groups attempt to present a united front against Iran.

This is an excerpt from a report by Efrat Lachter

The Department of State announced Thursday that the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait was closed.

In a statement the department said there were no reported injuries to personnel and officials emphasized that “the safety and security of Americans abroad remains the Department’s highest priority”.

The Travel Advisory for Kuwait said "remains at Level 3: Reconsider Travel with U.S. citizens urged to review the latest Travel Advisory and country information at travel.state.gov."

"Americans in Kuwait should leave the country," the announcement said, but if they can do so safely using commercial or other available transportation.

“Those unable to leave should shelter in place and monitor local developments closely,” the statement added.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Thursday that “Everything must be done” to prevent Lebanon, a country “so close to France, from once again being drawn into war.”

“Hezbollah must immediately cease its fire toward Israel. Israel must refrain from any ground intervention or large-scale operation on Lebanese territory,” Macron wrote on X.

“The Lebanese have a right to peace and security — like everyone in the Middle East,” he added. “It is to halt the war and prevent the worst that, following my exchanges with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, I spoke today with Lebanon’s highest authorities in order to establish a plan to bring an end to the military operations currently being carried out by Hezbollah and Israel on either side of the border.”

“At this moment of great danger, I call on the Israeli Prime Minister not to expand the war to Lebanon. I call on Iranian leaders not to further draw Lebanon into a war that is not its own,” Macron said. “Hezbollah must renounce its weapons, respect the national interest, show that it is not a militia taking orders from abroad, and allow the Lebanese to come together to preserve their country.”

NATO announced Thursday it is increasing its “Alliance-wide ballistic missile defense posture” until “the threat from Iran’s continued indiscriminate attacks across the region subsides.” 

“I can confirm that yesterday, in addition to NATO’s successful intercept of a ballistic missile from Iran that targeted Turkey, which that nation was the first to announce, NATO increased its Alliance-wide ballistic missile defense posture,” read a statement from Col. Martin L. O’Donnell, the spokesperson for NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. 

“This immediate action was taken by the commander of NATO’s Air Command, who further recommended NATO’s ballistic missile defense posture remain at this heightened level until the threat from Iran’s continued indiscriminate attacks across the region subsides,” he added.  

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News on Thursday that his country has not asked for a ceasefire against the U.S. and Israel.

"We didn’t ask for a ceasefire even last time. In previous time, it was Israel who asked for a ceasefire. They asked for an unconditional ceasefire after 12 days that we resisted against their aggression," Araghchi said, referring to Operation Midnight Hammer, a June 2025 U.S.-Israeli air campaign that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and infrastructure.

When asked if Iran would be afraid of the U.S. putting boots on the ground, Araghchi said, "No, we are waiting for them."

"Because we are confident that we can confront them, and that would be a big disaster for them," he said to NBC News.

President Donald Trump told Axios on Thursday that he has “to be involved” in picking Iran’s next leader following the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the late ayatollah’s son, has emerged as one of the names who could be the new head of Iran.

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela," Trump told Axios.

"Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran," he added.

Few places on the planet matter more to the global economy than the Strait of Hormuz.

Just about 21 miles wide at its narrowest, the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman is a global energy choke point. The waterway carries roughly 20 million barrels a day and about one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas, making it a top-value target when conflict in the region erupts.

That’s why the latest disruption, triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes over the weekend and retaliatory Iranian drone and missile attacks across the region, is forcing shippers to rethink whether it’s safe to transit the key waterway.

"You've essentially had the Strait of Hormuz grind down to a halt," explained Matt Smith, an analyst at Kpler, a data and analytics firm. 

He said the slowdown isn’t necessarily because Iran has formally closed the waterway, though Tehran has threatened to, but because shippers are weighing the risk of missile or drone strikes in the narrow corridor.

The result, Smith said, is a growing bottleneck of crude and refined products. And if the disruption stretches from days into weeks, Smith warned, the fallout could intensify quickly.

"If this drags on for weeks, the ramifications are huge," he said, pointing to early ripple effects already emerging in global energy markets. 

The White House said Wednesday that U.S. munitions stockpiles are sufficient to carry out Operation Epic Fury, and go "much further," but the Trump administration is still pressing top defense contractors to ramp up production – and quickly. 

"President Trump has rightfully been calling on defense contractors in this country to rapidly and aggressively produce American-made weapons because they are the best in the world," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. 

"And the president always likes to get things done as quickly as possible, and so he’s been quite vocal in his efforts to try to speed up our defense industry, to protect our homeland," she said.

Leavitt's comments came amid the White House's first briefing since the start of the U.S. and Israel’s joint-military operation in Iran — Operation Epic Fury – on Saturday. 

As the battle continues in Iran, a White House official told Fox News that top executives from U.S. defense contractors are set to visit the White House on Friday to discuss ramping up weapons production. 

A White House official told Fox News Digital that the Friday meeting will focus on Trump's message that the contractors produce weapons and national security defenses on a tight schedule. 

"President Trump has been clear that defense contractors must produce on-time and on-schedule and prioritize America’s national security interests," a White House official told Fox News Digital when asked about the meeting and stockpile. 

A shooting in Austin, Texas over the weekend that left three innocent people dead and is being probed as a terror-related incident is putting a renewed focus on the potential spread of radical Islam in the United States, particularly in deep red Texas where concerns about Islamic fanaticism are hitting a fever pitch.

The deceased shooting suspect, identified as Ndiaga Diagne, was a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Senegal and lived in Pflugerville, Texas, after entering the country in 2000.

Diagne was wearing a shirt that said "property of Allah" and another shirt underneath that depicted the Iranian flag. The FBI said the shooting, which came shortly after the U.S. and Israel's attack on Iran, was "potentially an act of terrorism."

The likelihood that Diagne was motivated by religious ideology, bolstered by a CBS News report on his social media presence, has prompted widespread alarm about the rise of radical Islam in Texas along with the heightened scrutiny of possible Iranian sleeper cells activating in the United States in response to recent U.S. military strikes on Iran. 

"Texas is currently under siege by Islamists who want to reshape our state and America as a whole," Republican Congressman Chip Roy, running for attorney general in the state, told Fox News Digital. 

"The tragic shooting over the weekend in my home of Austin, Texas is another example of why we need to pause immigration until the system is fixed. We need to stop bringing people into our country who want to kill us."

The Israel Defense Forces named specific areas of planned strikes inside Iran hours in advance Thursday, warning that civilians should evacuate from those locations "for the sake of your safety and your well-being."

"Urgent Warning to All Individuals Stationed in the "Abbas Abad" Industrial Area and Also the Shanzar Industrial Area Near Sharif Abad in East Pakdasht Based on the Red-Designated Area on the Attached Map," the IDF Farsi account wrote. "The Israeli army, as it has done in recent days across Iran by targeting the Iranian regime's military infrastructure, will carry out operations in this area in the coming hours."

"Dear citizens, for the sake of your safety and well-being, we kindly request that you immediately evacuate the designated area shown on the map," it added. "Your presence in this area puts your life in danger."

It's unclear whether the message can reach Iranians, as the country is experiencing a near total nationwide Internet blackout.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Thursday that his country should brace for an evacuation from the Middle East that is “many times bigger than the evacuation from Afghanistan." 

“I want to be very clear. This is a huge undertaking. It's one of the biggest operations of its kind, many times bigger than the evacuation from Afghanistan. It's not going to happen overnight, but we will not stop until our people are safe,” Starmer said. 

“We are deploying HMS Dragon to the Mediterranean and we have allowed the U.S. to use British bases to conduct defensive operations to take out Iranian missiles before they're fired at our people and our allies,” he added. “We will maintain this shield over British people in the region and our allies. We are working to strengthen it every day, and we're working as fast as possible to get our people out.” 

“As of today, over 140,000 individuals in the region have registered their presence, enabling us to get them the information and the support that they need. We have rapid deployment teams on the ground in Oman and Saudi Arabia, and our consular teams are helping hundreds of the most vulnerable individuals,” Starmer continued. “Despite airspace closure, we're working around the clock with airlines, travel companies and governments to open safe routes home. More than 4,000 people have now arrived back in the United Kingdom on commercial flights from the UAE, including vulnerable Brits identified by our teams.” 

“A further seven flights are due to leave the UAE for the U.K. today, and I can report that our first charter flight from Oman took off a few minutes ago,” he also said. 

China’s foreign minister reportedly said Beijing will send a special envoy to the Middle East for mediation efforts as regional tensions continue to escalate surrounding the conflict with Iran. 

Foreign ‌Minister Wang Yi was quoted telling his Saudi Arabian counterpart that China appreciates Saudi Arabia’s insistence of resolving disputes through peaceful means, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

In a phone call with the United Arab Emirates, Wang told his counterpart there that the “red line” of protecting civilians during conflicts should not be crossed and non-military targets must not be attacked, while also expressing a need for safety along the world’s shipping routes, Reuters added. 

The news agency also quoted Wang telling Israel’s foreign minister Wednesday that China opposes the joint U.S. and Israel military action against Iran and that it must be halted immediately. 

"Force cannot truly solve problems; instead, it often creates new ones and leaves serious long-term consequences. The real value of military power lies not on the battlefield ⁠but in preventing war,” he said. 

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” on Thursday that 20,000 Americans have now returned home from the Middle East since the launch of Operation Epic Fury against Iran. 

“The safety and security of the American people is our highest priority. To that end, we have a 24/7 task force that has been activated to surge resources to communicate security guidance and also assist with travel options for people that want to come home,” Pigott said in an interview with Fox News’ Dana Perino. 

“Charter flights are underway. Currently we’ve seen 20,000 Americans be able to return to the United States since this began, including 10,000 Americans that have been directly assisted by that task force,” he added. “These charter flights are at no cost to American citizens.” 

The U.S. has urged Americans to leave 14 countries across the Middle East following counterattacks by the Iranian regime. 

Fox News’ Gillian Turner contributed to this report. 

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the department “is once again defending our borders as a priority of our national defense.”

 “With our law enforcement partners, we are defending our borders and making our streets safe again,” Hegseth said at the inaugural Americas Counter Cartel Conference at the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters in Doral, Florida.

“Crossings at our southern border, at the US-Mexico border, have dropped to the lowest number in history. Murders nationwide have plummeted by more than 20%. We now have operational control of our southern border,” Hegseth said. “Under President Trump, for the first time in history, Department of War is on the offense against narco terrorists as well.”

“President Trump has reestablished the Monroe Doctrine, the Trump Corollary of the Monroe Doctrine. Or, if you'd like, for short, you can just call it the ‘Donroe Doctrine’,” Hegseth said. “Under President Trump, securing America's interest in the Western Hemisphere and keeping our homeland safe are our top national security priorities.”

Hegseth said Trump’s “historic National Defense Strategy ensures that the Department of War will prioritize resources around the threats and objectives that are core to homeland defense, and the people and prosperity of the American people.”

The Israel Defense Forces announced fresh strikes on Thursday against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij militia, Iran's volunteer paramilitary force. 

“The IDF completed its 12th wave of strikes across Tehran,” it wrote on X.  

In Iran’s capital, “Targets belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Basij organization, and a central command center for the armed Internal Security forces, were struck, as well as dozens of command centers and weapons sites,” according to the IDF. 

It added that in the Alborz province outside of Tehran, “The headquarters of the special unit responsible for all internal security forces was targeted.” 

The Israel Defense Forces released dramatic footage showing an Israeli F-35I “Adir” stealth fighter in aerial combat firing a missile that strikes and destroys an Iranian Yak-130 jet over Tehran.

The video appears to capture the missile launch and the moment the target is hit, with audio indicating “target down.”

It represents the first confirmed air-to-air kill for the F-35 in combat and the first time the Israeli Air Force has shot down a manned aircraft in more than 40 years.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said Thursday that his armed forces have been mobilized after Iran carried out an attack on the country using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 

“The targets of the fire were civilian objects. The Nakhchivan International Airport, its terminal building, a school and other areas were subjected to cowardly fire by Iran,” Aliyev said in a speech. “The Azerbaijani side must be given an explanation by Iranian officials, an apology must be made, and those who committed this terrorist act must be held accountable.” 

“Our Armed Forces were instructed to prepare and implement retaliatory measures,” Aliyev added. 

“All necessary measures will be taken through diplomatic channels. Our Armed Forces - the Ministry of Defense, the State Border Service, all other Special Forces have been brought to the state of mobilization number one and must be ready to carry out any operation,” he also said. 

Iran launched a new wave of attacks on Thursday, with explosions reported in the region and Tehran threatening that the U.S. would "bitterly regret" sinking an Iranian warship.

Iran's strikes on Thursday targeted Israel, American bases and countries in the region. Israel announced multiple incoming missile attacks as air raid sirens blared in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense on Thursday said that Iran used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in an attack on Nakhchivan International Airport and other civilian infrastructure. The ministry said that the details of the attack and the capabilities of the UAVs were being investigated.

"The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan strongly condemns the attacks carried out by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran against civilian infrastructure on the territory of Azerbaijan in the absence of any military necessity. The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident," the ministry's statement read.

Iran has not acknowledged targeting Azerbaijan, despite the country's ministry of defense pointing the finger at Tehran.

Qatar evacuated residents near the U.S. Embassy in Doha on Thursday, with its Ministry of Defense confirming that the country was "subjected to a missile attack" and that its air defense systems were able to intercept it. The ministry urged the public to remain calm and avoid unofficial information.

A massive joint air campaign by the United States and Israel is dismantling Iran’s missile network in what officials and analysts describe as one of the most coordinated allied operations in modern warfare.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the campaign is rapidly establishing dominance over Iranian skies. 

"Starting last night and to be completed in a few days … the two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies," Hegseth said Wednesday. "Uncontested airspace." 

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview Tuesday that "the cooperation between us and the American military is amazing. We have mutual planning and mutual executing for the plans in Iran and beyond."

John Spencer, executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute, told Fox News Digital Israel effectively matched the U.S. military’s opening airpower surge. 

"Israel matched the United States in the number of aircraft in the air," Spencer said. "For Israel, that represents roughly 80% of its air force capability."

He added that the level of coordination between Washington and Jerusalem represents a new model for allied warfare. 

"This isn’t separate work," Spencer said. "This is combined work. Integrated, synchronized operations combining powers." 

The partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security could impact how the federal government is able to address potential terror threats in the U.S., a public safety expert said, warning that the escalating conflict with Iran could encourage those wishing to harm Americans.

Jeffrey Halstead, a retired police chief in Fort Worth, Texas, and a former commander for Homeland Security for Phoenix police, told Fox News Digital that U.S. military actions could "escalate the mindset of some of these outlying or outlier terrorist entities" wanting to take action. 

"We've seen historically that any time there is a conflict, especially in the Middle East with escalating tensions, military action and now a declaration of war, there is a significant impact on the ability for us to work collectively to share intelligence and gather information in a timely manner from our federal partners," Halstead said. "With the current Department of Homeland Security shutdown, if something were to occur here in the United States, there could be some significant delays because FEMA and other very, very critical divisions of the federal government are basically shut down."

He specifically pointed out the terrorist attack in Austin, Texas, over the weekend, which left two people dead and 14 injured. The suspect, Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old naturalized citizen born in Senegal, was also killed.

Authorities said they are investigating the shooting, which took place at a bar at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, as a "potential nexus to terrorism" as Diagne appeared to wear a "Property of Allah" sweatshirt and an undershirt depicting the Iranian flag. A Quran was also later recovered from his vehicle, and an Iranian flag and images of regime leaders were found at his home.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will head to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday. 

While there, Hegseth will meet with CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper for updates on Operation Epic Fury. 

CENTCOM said Wednesday the U.S. Air Force, alongside Israeli forces, "continues to execute a high volume of airstrikes into Iran."

“The two most powerful air forces in the world are dominating the skies over the world’s largest state sponsor of terror,” it added.

U.S. Central Command released a new video Thursday highlighting its "effort to eliminate the Iranian regime's mobile missile launch capabilities."

"We are finding and destroying these threats with lethal precision," CENTCOM wrote on X alongside footage depicting numerous airstrikes.

CENTCOM also released several photos from the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group.

"The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group continues around-the-clock operations in support of Operation Epic Fury from the Mediterranean Sea," it said. "With another Carrier Strike Group in the Middle East, U.S. forces are squeezing Iran from the sea."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Thursday said the U.S. will "bitterly regret" striking and sinking an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s southern coast.

"The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores," Araqchi wrote on X. "Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning."

"Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set," he added.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused Iran of launching drone attacks from its territory that struck the Nakhchivan region, damaging an airport terminal building and injuring two civilians.

The ministry said one drone hit the terminal building at the Nakhchivan airport, while another fell near a school in the village of Shakarabad.

Azerbaijan “strongly condemns” the attacks and said it has summoned Iran’s ambassador to deliver a formal note of protest.

The government demanded a clear explanation from Tehran and called for an investigation and urgent measures to prevent further attacks, warning it “reserves the right to take appropriate response measures.”

Iran has not acknowledged targeting Azerbaijan. Nakhchivan is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by Armenian territory and borders both Iran and Turkey.