U.S. Confirms Aircraft Loss as War with Iran Accelerates; Oil Surpasses $100

The conflict between the United States and Iran has escalated significantly over the last 24 hours. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the loss of a KC-135 refueling aircraft over Iraq, while Israeli forces targeted Basij Force checkpoints in Tehran. President Trump remarked that the war is 'moving very rapidly,' asserting that Iran is paying a 'big price' and stating that the mission to stop the Iranian leadership takes priority over rising energy costs. Meanwhile, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei claimed his forces are only targeting U.S. bases, despite reports of strikes hitting civilian and infrastructure targets across the region. Economic fallout from the conflict has reached a critical point, with the International Energy Agency (IEA) warning of the largest oil shock in history as prices climbed above $100 per barrel. Domestic security concerns have also heightened following an FBI memo warning of potential Iranian threats in California. In Washington, 46 senators have petitioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a formal investigation into civilian casualties resulting from U.S. strikes, including an attack on a school, as the reported civilian death toll in Iran reached 1,350 over 12 days. International dimensions of the war are expanding, with UK Defence Secretary John Healey alleging that Russia may be providing technical assistance for Iranian drone strikes. This follows the discovery of Russian components in a drone used against RAF Akrotiri. On the ground, regional disruptions have intensified as Iraq and Oman shuttered oil terminals following tanker attacks, and Iranian military strikes were reported near fuel and aviation facilities in the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait.