US Secretary of War Announces Intensified Attacks on Iran; Iran-Backed Group Claims Downing US Aircraft in Iraq

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday that US forces will conduct the largest volume of attacks over Iranian airspace, particularly Tehran, on the same day. Speaking at a press conference in Arlington, Virginia, Hegseth said the United States and Israel have achieved major military successes, targeting more than 15,000 sites in Iran, including defense equipment production facilities.

Hegseth stated that Iranian missile and drone attacks have decreased by more than 90 percent. He added that US forces are destroying stored missiles and ensuring Iran loses the ability to produce more. "We are shooting down and destroying missiles they still have in storage, but more importantly, we are ensuring they no longer have the ability to build more missiles," Hegseth said. He emphasized plans to "defeat, destroy, and disable all their meaningful capabilities" and dismissed media reports on the war's impact on the Strait of Hormuz as baseless.

Separately, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, claimed responsibility for downing a US KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft in western Iraq. The group described the action as a response to violations of Iraqi sovereignty. US Central Command confirmed the aircraft went down but provided no details on the cause.

Meanwhile, foreign and economy ministers from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries called for an immediate halt to the Middle East war, citing rising oil prices and global trade disruptions affecting regional economies. They urged measures like energy conservation, market stabilization and enhanced supply chain resilience to mitigate impacts.