US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has declared "America is winning" its war against Iran, claiming the Islamic Republic's air force and navy have been destroyed.
In a video posted on X, Mr Hegseth said: "I stand before you today with one unmistakable message about Operation Epic Fury - America is winning.
"This was never meant to be a fair fight. The Iranian air force is no more - built in 1996 and destroyed in 2026.
"The Iranian navy rests at the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Four days in and we have only just began the fight."
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said both Israel and the US had made "historic gains" in the war against Iran.
She said the conflict had been necessary because Tehran was rebuilding its nuclear programme in "new underground bunkers" after it was destroyed during last year’s 12-day war.
The spokeswoman added there were signs the Islamic Republic had been planning to “attack Israel and American forces" in the region.
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'Total s***show!' Chartered flight evacuating Britons from Oman fails to take off
The Government’s chartered flight to evacuate Britons from the Middle East has been rescheduled, according to reports.
The aircraft had been due to depart Muscat, Oman, at 11pm local time on Monday but failed to leave the runway and has now been delayed until later today.
One passenger due to leave on the flight described the situation as a “total s***show”.
They told Sky News: “[The] check-in process took about four hours due to technical issues. We then got taken to the plane on a bus but had to stay on it for about one-and-a-half hours.
“No consular staff were present airside. They just left us.”
Ed Miliband 'spearheaded' Labour rebellion to US action in Iran after pushing 'pacifist' case
Ed Miliband is said to have spearheaded Labour's rebellion against US military action in Iran after reportedly pushing a “pacifist” case against Britain’s involvement.
Opposition to British participation in the conflict - including preventing the US from using RAF bases and the joint US-UK facility at Diego Garcia - was backed by Mr Miliband, Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper.
The Energy Secretary allegedly voiced strong objections to the impending US strikes during a National Security Council meeting on Friday, which had been called to discuss the potential impact of the conflict on Britain’s energy supply.
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Jerusalem rocked by blasts after residents warned of incoming attack
Jerusalem was rocked by a series of explosions on Thursday as Iran launched missile strikes on the city.
Sirens warning of incoming projectiles sounded three times in less than two hours, sending residents rushing to shelters as blasts echoed across the Israeli capital.
Israeli emergency services later confirmed that no one was injured in the attacks.
Authorities have since given the all-clear for residents to leave shelters, with officials reporting no significant damage to infrastructure or property.
RECAP: Rebels launch ground offensive in Iran after US 'hatches plan for covert uprising'
Thousands of Iraqi Kurdish rebels have launched a ground offensive in Iran, several US officials have claimed.
Fighters are said to have began taking positions within Iranian territory, according to Israeli network I24, who state they have moved in near the southern mountains in western Iran.
There had been reports that the CIA had been locked in negotiations with rebels to mount an offensive while the US and Israel continue with their aerial bombardment of Iran.
However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied Donald Trump had agreed to arm Kurdish forces.
“I can comment on the fact that the President has held many calls with partners, allies and leaders in the region, in the Middle East,” Ms Leavitt said.
Ms Leavitt did confirm, though, that the US President had held discussions with Kurdish leaders ahead of tonight's onslaught.
She added: “He did speak to Kurdish leaders with respect to our base that we have in northern Iraq.
"But as for any report suggesting that the president has agreed to any such plan is completely false and should not be written.”
However, Fox News was told that rebels had entered Iran after CNN reported the CIA was "advancing a covert plan to arm Iranian Kurdish forces".
It comes as Hezbollah vowed not to surrender "no matter the sacrifices" after the death of the Ayatollah.
Despite Lebanese president Joseph Aoun announcing a ban on military activity, Naim Qassem, the head of Iranian proxy force, said: "We are facing aggression... our choice is to confront it until the ultimate sacrifice, and we will not surrender."
US deploys cutting-edge laser weapons to halt Islamic Republic missiles
The US has deployed an array of cutting-edge weapons in Operation Epic Fury in a bid to halt Iran's missiles and drones from hitting their targets.
Among the systems in use is the High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) mounted on a US Navy destroyer stationed off the Iranian coast.
Footage released by US Central Command shows the laser weapon directing an "intense, tightly focused beam" of energy to destroy drones.
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Pentagon identifies latest US troops killed in conflict
The Pentagon has named the final two US service members killed in a suspected Iranian drone attack on a military command centre in Kuwait on Sunday.
Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan, 54, and Major Jeffrey O'Brien, 45, were confirmed as the remaining victims among the six soldiers killed in the strike.
The US Department of War said Officer Marzan was "believed to be the individual who perished at the scene" of the attack.
A medical examiner is expected to provide formal confirmation of the identifications.
The drone strike targeted American personnel stationed at the Kuwait facility.
Qatar orders evacuation near US embassy as 'precautionary measure'
Qatari authorities have ordered the evacuation of residents living near the US embassy in Doha as a "precautionary measure", the country’s interior ministry has announced.
A statement from the department said: "Suitable accommodation has been provided for them as part of necessary preventive measures."
UAE threatens to JAIL influencers who post 'misinformation' about Iran war
Content creators in Dubai have been warned they could face jail or hefty fines for posting "misinformation" about the ongoing Iran conflict.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities said any content deemed harmful to "public order", "national unity" or the country's reputation could result in severe penalties, including prison sentences and fines of up to $77,000 (£58,000).
One lifestyle influencer with millions of Instagram followers told The Telegraph she deleted footage of burning debris filmed outside her flat after an Iranian missile was intercepted overhead on Saturday.
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Oil spills into sea off Kuwait after tanker explosion
Crew aboard an oil tanker off the coast of Kuwait reported an explosion on the side of their vessel before a small craft was seen leaving the area, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said.
The maritime monitoring agency said oil had begun leaking into the sea, raising concerns about potential environmental damage.
It added that water had also started flooding into the vessel.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, though all crew members are reported to be safe.
Islamic Republic launches drone attack on Amazon data centre in Bahrain
Iranian state media has reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched a drone strike on an Amazon data centre in Bahrain.
Fars News Agency said the attack was carried out to assess the facility’s capability to store military and intelligence data belonging to Western adversaries.
Amazon Web Services said the strike caused “physical impacts to our infrastructure" at the site.
It added: “These strikes have caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery to our infrastructure, and in some cases required fire suppression activities that resulted in additional water damage."
Two Amazon facilities in the UAE have also reportedly come under fire from Iranian drones.
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