Hegseth says Iranian military is ‘combat ineffective’US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has given an upbeat assessment of the military operation in Iran. In a press conference at the Pentagon, Hegseth said Friday will be the heaviest day of attacks on the country. Their military is “combat ineffective” and “functionally defeated and destroyed”. Six crew members feared dead following US military aircraft crashA ‌US military refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on ‌Thursday in an incident US Central Command said involved ​another aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said the move, announced on Thursday, was a step to stabilise global energy markets roiled by the Iran war.

Source: The Irish Times March 13, 2026 12:53 UTC