Six US service members die when their plane crashes in Iraq

BarcelonaAll six crew members of a U.S. refueling aircraft died after the plane crashed in western Iraq, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announced Friday. Washington officials, who initially reported locating four of the deceased crew members, said the incident, which occurred around 2 p.m. local time on Thursday, was not caused by enemy or friendly fire. The aircraft, a KC-135, was participating in the U.S. offensive against Iran, refueling bombers from the air—a widespread practice that Washington used extensively during the first Gulf War. A second aircraft, performing the same function, landed safely. The circumstances of the crash are under investigation after a rescue operation located the two remaining crew members.

On Friday morning, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the death of a French soldier at the Erbil base in Iraqi Kurdistan. The missile that killed Arnaud Frion, the first French soldier to die in this conflict, wounded five others. The missile was of Iranian origin, as confirmed by French Colonel François-Xavier de la Chesnay.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised the crew of the crashed aircraft, calling them "American heroes." "Their sacrifice will recommit us to the resolution of this mission," he added. He further stated that the United States will show "no mercy" to its "enemies" and that the war, "in this context, is necessary." In the same appearance, the Pentagon chief explained that Iran's new supreme leader, Mokhtaba Khamenei, is wounded and "probably disfigured," implying that he is not capable of governing. Khamenei gave his first speech this ThursdayBut he didn't appear, and his words were read on state television by a female voice while the screen remained black.

US promises traffic will recover in Hormuz

Hegseth downplayed the threat made by Iran's top official during his speech: Mojtaba Khamenei warned that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed. Instead, the Pentagon chief asserted that the United States has a plan to guarantee traffic through this waterway. "There's no need to worry about that," he declared. "We have a plan for every option. We're not going to allow this strait to remain disputed." Despite the Trump administration's efforts to avert an energy crisis, Oil markets remain shaken and Brent crude remains above $100 a barrel

In line with warnings from recent days, Hegseth has cautioned that this Friday would be "the most intense day" in the bombing campaign against Iran since the start of the conflict. Images verified by the BBC show explosions in the capital, Tehran, near the streets where a demonstration was being held to commemorate Quds Day, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan. But beyond that, Iran has not reported any other attacks.

Hegseth also took stock of the attacks carried out so far and asserted that the United States has struck "with brutal precision" more than 6,000 targets, including weapons manufacturing and storage facilities, which would prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. "We're going up, they're going down," he emphasized, and asserted that "President Trump has many aces up his sleeve and will decide which ones to play."