Pentagon Chief refuses to rule out US ground forces playing role in conflict

The Pentagon Chief, however, refused to rule out US ground forces playing a role in the conflict. The top US military officer, General Dan Caine, spoke alongside Mr Hegseth, saying that US forces have struck more than 11,000 targets so far.

He said the United States continues to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile and drone capabilities.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, in a social media post, again criticized European allies for not getting more involved in the war.

In a related development, a Kuwaiti oil tanker carrying millions of barrels of crude oil has been hit near Dubai, with officials blaming Iran for the strike. Media reports said, the 24 crew aboard are safe and the blaze is under control. New strikes and interceptions are reported in Israel, Iran and the UAE, with multiple people injured from falling debris in Dubai.

On the other hand, fighting in southern Lebanon intensified this afternoon as Israeli ground forces pushed deeper into border areas. The Israeli military reported that four of its soldiers were killed and two others wounded during intense combat with an Iran-backed armed group, Hezbollah, in the western sector of southern Lebanon in the past few hours.

According to the Israeli Defence Forces, troops are continuing operations to expand a security buffer zone. At least three UN peacekeepers, including Indonesian personnel, were killed in separate incidents in southern Lebanon over the past day, prompting strong condemnation from the United Nations.