Iran’s new Supreme Leader doesn’t even know “there is a war on” and is “wounded and likely disfigured”, according to the United States. Outspoken US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the Iranian regime’s new head Mojtaba Khamenei was injured despite a statement being released from the cleric on national television yesterday.

However, Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear on camera during the broadcast and a news anchor recited his words which said Iran would not refrain from avenging the “blood of its martyrs”. Khamenei took over Iran’s leadership following his father’s death. The younger Khamenei has not been seen or heard from publicly since the war started, leading to speculation about his whereabouts and health condition, with some claims he could be in a coma and not aware of his new position or even that there is a war. It’s even been reported he may have lost a leg.

Despite being missing in action he made his first public statements, resolving to keep fighting, promising more pain for Gulf Arab states and threatening to open “other fronts” in a war that has already disrupted world energy supplies, the global economy and international travel.

Speaking at a press conference today (Friday) US Secretary of War Mr Hegseth said Khamenei “is wounded and likely disfigured”.

Addresssing the impact of the war on the global economy, Mr Hegseth said the Trump administration were focusing on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow vital shipping channel currently closed off by Iran which usually carries 20% of the world’s oil production.

He added: “We’ve heard them talk about taking various measures, and we’re planning for all of them. We have a plan for every option here.

“We’re laser focused on our military objectives, but also we want to make sure our partners across this government understand we’re working with you to make sure that energy flows, and that’s that’s an important part.”

Global oil prices have rocketed to more than $100 a barrel since the war started on February 28 sending fuel and other prices soaring.

The Iranians have continued to launch widespread daily missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighboring Gulf states, and has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz even as US and Israeli warplanes pummel military and other targets across Iran.

A large explosion rocked an area of Iran’s capital where thousands were gathered Friday for an annual state-organised Al Quds rally calling for the destruction of Israel. Israel had earlier warned that it would target the area in central Tehran.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. But the decision to proceed with the mass demonstration that was attended by some senior government officials, and Israel’s threat to target the area, underscored the fierce determination on both sides nearly two weeks into a war that has rattled the global economy and shows no sign of letting up.

In a blow to the US war operation, the US Central Command CENTCOM said four of six crew members of an American KC-135 refueling plane that went down in Iraq overnight had been found dead and that recovery efforts were ongoing to find the other two.

CENTCOM said that the crash wasn’t related to friendly or hostile fire, and that two aircraft were involved, including one that landed safely.

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that a French soldier was killed in an attack targeting Irbil in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region. France earlier said that six soldiers had been hurt in a drone strike in Irbil, where French troops are deployed as part of a multinational mission supporting Iraqi forces in their fight against the Islamic State group.