Reactions and statements from the international community
Protesters inside Iran are expressing support for targeted military operations against the regime, believing that airstrikes are not indiscriminate and are aimed specifically at the oppressive government rather than the general population.
Israel announced it will bomb bridges on the Litani River in Lebanon. A Russia Today journalist standing on one of these bridges narrowly avoided being bombed and accused Israel of committing war crimes.
A video sent to the Iranian National News Agency on Friday reported an explosion in Khiyaban Kargar South, the center and west of Tehran. In Yazd and Bandar Abbas, the sound of fighter jets and explosions were detected, while in Shiraz and Qeshm, the sound of a cruise missile and two heavy explosions were reported.
On the twentieth day of the text message war, the IRGC Intelligence Organization sent threatening messages to citizens' phones, warning that participation in Telegram channels and Instagram pages labeled as opposition is under surveillance and could lead to judicial prosecution under Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code.
CENTCOM announced that an F-35 fighter jet conducting a mission over Iran was forced to make an emergency landing; the aircraft landed safely and the pilot is in stable condition, with the incident currently under investigation.
Fatemeh Larijani, daughter of Ali Larijani and former U.S. resident, now works for state TV in Iran while criticizing the regime's denial of freedoms to Iranians. Senator Marco Rubio has called for the expulsion of relatives of individuals involved in the 1979 U.S. embassy hostage crisis, including Masoumeh Ebtekar's son, who currently lives in the United States.
Ali Abdullahian, commander of the Central Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters of the IRGC, stated that the Islamic Republic's armed forces have "surprises" in store for the United States and Israel, claiming they targeted an advanced F-35 fighter jet. CENTCOM confirmed an F-35 made an emergency landing after a mission over Iran but stated the aircraft landed safely and the pilot is stable, with the incident under investigation.
Rama Duwaji, wife of Mamdani, disabled her old social media account after controversial posts praising terrorists as "awesome" and using the "n-word" were uncovered.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine provided an update on Operation Epic Fury, 19 days into the conflict with Iran, following the return of six fallen service members to Dover Air Force Base, bringing total U.S. casualties to 13. The briefing detailed the destruction of over 7,000 Iranian targets, a 90% reduction in Iranian attacks, and the neutralization of 90 military infrastructure targets on Kharg Island.
President Trump stated that the United States could take control of Kharg Island, which handles over 90% of Iran’s oil exports, at any time, describing it as unprotected and previously targeted by U.S. forces except for the oil pipelines.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released footage of a missile launch directed toward Israel, with a member of its Aerospace Force making a statement: "For the victims of Epstein Island, we target the idol of Baal."
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons, which critics claim is a deceptive tactic to engage the West in prolonged negotiations and bad faith diplomacy, aimed at advancing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
