Iran claimed that its drones hit the USS 'Lincoln' aircraft carrier and its missiles struck an American oil tanker; Iran's foreign minister said they are waiting for a U.S. ground invasion, confident in their ability to resist, which would be a catastrophic disaster for the U.S., and there is no reason for further negotiations; Iran's permanent mission to the UN stated that claims of blocking the Strait of Hormuz are baseless and absurd. The Israeli military announced it is entering the next phase of operations, aiming to intensify damage to the foundations and military capabilities of the Iranian regime. The U.S. is reportedly adding resources to sustain the war effort 'for at least 100 days, possibly extending until September.' Trump stated he must participate in determining the successor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, with reports indicating he is seeking Kurdish assistance for actions within Iran. Italy declared it does not intend to join the conflict, while the UK is assisting Gulf nations in defending against Iran; Qatar reported being attacked by Iran.
On Thursday, March 5, as the U.S. and Israel entered the sixth day of military strikes against Iran, tensions in the Middle East continued to escalate, with increasingly tough rhetoric from all sides.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi, in an exclusive media interview on Thursday, stated that Iran is prepared for potential US ground invasions and explicitly rejected restarting negotiations with the US. Meanwhile, the Iranian military claimed retaliatory actions against the US and Israel on multiple fronts, including claims of hitting the US aircraft carrier 'Lincoln' with drones and striking an American oil tanker with missiles. According to CCTV News, Iran's permanent mission to the UN refuted allegations of Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz on social media, calling them baseless and absurd.
On the US-Israeli side, the Israeli military announced the thirteenth round of airstrikes on Tehran. According to CCTV, the Israeli military stated on Thursday evening that it is entering the next phase of operations, intending to increase efforts to damage the foundations and military capabilities of the Iranian regime. Trump told the media on Thursday that he must be involved in determining the next Supreme Leader of Iran, a statement strongly rebuked by Iranian officials. According to Xinhua News Agency, the US is reportedly increasing resources to sustain the war effort for 'at least 100 days, potentially until September.'
Iranian Foreign Minister: Unafraid of Ground Invasion, a Major Disaster for the US
During a video interview in Tehran on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi adopted a tough stance toward the possibility of a US ground assault. He said, 'We are waiting for them [to come], because we are confident we can resist, which will be a huge disaster for them.'
Araghchi also stated that Iran is not seeking a ceasefire. Referring to last June’s 12-day war when the US and Israel struck Iran’s nuclear facilities, he remarked, 'Last time, it was Israel that first requested an unconditional ceasefire,' expressing an uncompromising position.
Regarding negotiations, Araghchi made it clear that the recent attack has caused Iran to completely lose faith in any future dialogue. Just last Thursday, he was in Geneva, discussing possible agreements with US President’s envoy Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Kushner. Reports indicate that contact between him and the two US negotiators has been entirely severed since the attack.
Araghchi said, 'We have no positive experience negotiating with the US, especially this administration. We negotiated twice with them last year and this year, and then, midway through the talks, they attacked us.' He added that Iran has no reason to negotiate further with the US, stating, 'We have no reason to engage again with those who are dishonest and insincere during negotiations.'
Iranian Military: Escalating Retaliation, Rejecting Allegations of Blocking the Strait
According to CCTV News, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran claimed that a U.S. oil tanker was hit by a missile fired by its navy in the northern Persian Gulf at dawn on March 5 local time and is still burning. The Revolutionary Guards also stated that military and commercial vessels from the United States, Israel, and European countries are strictly prohibited from passing through the area, and any vessel found will be targeted.
The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces announced that the U.S. aircraft carrier "Abraham Lincoln" was hit by a drone from the Revolutionary Guard Navy in the Sea of Oman approximately 340 kilometers away from Iranian waters. It subsequently evacuated rapidly with its destroyer and has now moved more than a thousand kilometers away from the region.
In response to the U.S. military's accusation of blocking the strait, Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations refuted the claim on social media on Thursday, stating that the allegation of Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz is baseless and absurd. Iran has always adhered to international law and upheld freedom of navigation.
According to CCTV News, the delegation also accused a U.S. submarine of recklessly sinking the Iranian frigate "Dena," which was visiting India in international waters, resulting in the deaths of over 100 sailors. The delegation described this reckless attack as a violation of the fundamental principles of international law and freedom of navigation, adding that "in fact, the real threat to maritime security is the United States."
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Iranian military also denied closing the Strait of Hormuz, stating that it only "intercepted warships disguised as merchant vessels."
According to CCTV News, regarding the attack on the "Dena" ship, the Iranian military issued a statement characterizing the assault as a "despicable and inhumane" attack and vowed to make the U.S. and Israel "pay for their crimes." The statement noted that the vessel was carrying young naval cadets and was returning after participating in the "Milan 2026" joint maritime exercise.
Subsequently, the Revolutionary Guard announced the launch of the 20th wave of a large-scale military operation codenamed "True Commitment 4" to commemorate the victims of the "Dena," and Israeli forces immediately detected Iran firing ballistic missiles toward Israel again.
Trump intervenes in the selection of the Supreme Leader, and the Israeli military enters a new phase of strikes.
According to reports, Trump publicly stated on Thursday that he must "participate" in the appointment of Iran's new Supreme Leader, calling the late Supreme Leader Khamenei’s son an "unacceptable" choice, saying, "We want someone who can bring harmony and peace to Iran." He also warned that if the new leader continues Khamenei's policies, it will force the U.S. to "take military action again within five years."
Araghchi refuted this, stating, "This is absolutely Iran's own affair, and no one can interfere." He noted that according to Iran's constitution, the Assembly of Experts will be responsible for selecting the new Supreme Leader, adding, "There are many rumors, but no one knows exactly who will be chosen in the end." According to Xinhua News Agency, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ravanchi confirmed that Iran has not yet selected a new Supreme Leader.
At the operational level, according to CCTV News, Chief of Staff Zamir of the Israeli Defense Forces announced at a press conference that after completing the raid phase, gaining air superiority, and suppressing Iran's ballistic missile positions, the Israeli military is entering the next phase, where it will intensify its efforts to undermine the foundations of the Iranian regime and its military capabilities.
The Israeli military also stated that this was the 13th round of airstrikes launched against Tehran since the start of this round of conflict. According to Xinhua News Agency, the Israeli military simultaneously claimed to have conducted large-scale airstrikes on Tehran’s infrastructure and plans to reopen Israeli airspace on the 8th, allowing flights to depart.
US Military Acknowledges Drone Threat; Stockpile of Precision-Guided Weapons Running Low
According to Xinhua News Agency, US Secretary of Defense Hegeseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Cain acknowledged during a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday that Iran’s “Shahed” one-way attack drones posed a “significant challenge” to the US military’s air defense systems, making them difficult to intercept entirely. Attendees told American media that such drones, due to their low altitude and slow speed, are easier to evade interception compared to ballistic missiles.
According to Xinhua News Agency, since the US and Israel initiated military strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran has launched over 2,000 one-way attack drones in retaliation. Military experts refer to these as “the AK-47 of the skies,” pointing out a severe asymmetry between interception costs and drone production costs — a European defense expert estimated that the cost of a single interception is at least 10:1 under the most optimistic scenarios, but could reach 60 to 70:1 in reality.
According to reports by Xinhua citing American media, the US military’s stockpile of precision-guided weapons is “rapidly depleting,” and within a few more days, they may be forced to prioritize targets for interception. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee from Arizona, warned: “Our ammunition is not inexhaustible.”
Regarding the duration of the war, opinions among lawmakers differ — officials such as Secretary of State Rubio projected a timeline of 3 to 5 weeks of engagement, while Republican Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri said that the officials present “sounded indefinite.”
US Seeks Kurdish Support; Multiple Nations Issue Statements
According to Xinhua citing American media, Trump held phone calls with Kurdish leaders in Iran and Iraq this week, requesting Kurdish assistance in US operations in Iran and promising “extensive American air cover” and other support, aiming to help “anti-government Iranian Kurds occupy parts of western Iran.”
It was reported that both Barzani and Talabani, leaders of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, expressed reservations about participating in any ground operations against Iran. White House Press Secretary Leavitt denied the existence of related armed plans but stated that the discussions were “related to our bases in northern Iraq.”
According to a comprehensive report by Xinhua News Agency:
Italian Prime Minister Meloni stated that Italy plans to provide defensive military aid to Gulf countries alongside the UK, France, and Germany, but emphasized that it 'does not intend to participate in the war.'
The British Ambassador to Bahrain stated that the UK has assisted Gulf countries in defending against strikes from Iran.
Australian Prime Minister Albanese noted that Australia has deployed 'military assets' in the Middle East and sent six crisis response teams.
Spain announced that it will dispatch a frigate to Cyprus to provide defensive support.
The Qatari Ministry of Defense reported that the country was attacked by 14 ballistic missiles and four drones launched from Iran on the same day, prompting the issuance of a nationwide security alert.
Russia once again called for all parties involved in the conflict to immediately cease military operations.
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