US President Donald Trump said Iran is being “demolished ahead of schedule and at levels people have never seen before,” claiming the country now has “no air force, no air defence” and that its aerial capabilities have effectively been wiped out.
Responding to the remarks, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, warned that Iranian forces are ready for any potential US ground invasion. He said troops are “waiting” and prepared to “disgrace those corrupt American officials by killing and capturing thousands.”
Since Saturday, at least 1,230 people have reportedly been killed in joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The semi-official Fars News Agency said two schools in the town of Parand, southwest of Tehran, were hit by missiles.
Iran has also continued launching attacks targeting Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv came under a combined drone and missile barrage late Thursday night.
Authorities across the region have urged residents to stay alert as tensions escalate. A live tracker is being used to monitor the latest casualty figures.
