Day 13 of the war: Iran's new leader promised a permanent blockade of Hormuz, a joint attack with Hezbollah on Israel, UN condemns Tehran

The thirteenth day of the war between the US, Israel, and Iran brought the first public address by Iran's new leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a coordinated missile attack by Iran and Hezbollah on Israel, a diplomatic shift at the UN, and continued attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf.

IRAN'S NEW LEADER SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued his first public statement on Thursday since taking power. The written message was read out by state television announcers while his photograph was displayed on screen — he did not appear in person. NPR ↗

In the address, he vowed to continue the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on American bases in the region. "The leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must undoubtedly continue to be used," he said. He also promised revenge for the 170 people killed in the strike on the school in Minab, calling it a "deliberately committed crime." He claimed that Iran attacks "exclusively military bases out of necessity" and maintains "friendship with its neighbors." NBC News ↗

JOINT ATTACK BY IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH ON ISRAEL

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a joint missile operation with Lebanon's Hezbollah against Israeli targets. Hezbollah fired a salvo of 100 missiles at northern Israel in the largest attack yet since the start of the war. The Lebanese militia also sent a "swarm of drones" toward an Israeli military base near Haifa. Al Jazeera ↗

Israel responded with extensive airstrikes on Beirut. In the Ramlet al-Baida district, a so-called "double-tap" strike — two consecutive strikes — hit a refugee camp on the coast. Eight people were killed and 31 injured, including families with children who were sleeping in tents. "This area is home to many displaced people who have nowhere to go," reporters at the scene said. Al Jazeera ↗

ATTACKS ON SHIPS AND OIL TANKERS CONTINUE

Two oil tankers were struck in Iraqi territorial waters near Basra. At least one crew member was killed, several are missing, and 38 sailors were rescued. Iran claimed responsibility for the attack on one of the ships, which it identified as American. The Omani navy rescued 20 sailors from a Thai ship attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. NPR ↗

In Dubai, a drone struck the Address Creek Harbour hotel. In Saudi Arabia, two drones headed toward the Shaybah oil field were intercepted. Bahrain's fuel storage facility in Muharraq suffered damage from an Iranian attack. In Kuwait, debris from intercepted drones damaged six transmission lines and struck a residential building, injuring two people. Al Jazeera ↗

UN CONDEMNS IRAN, TEHRAN SETS PEACE CONDITIONS

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Iranian attacks on Gulf countries as a "violation of international law" and a "serious threat to international peace." However, the resolution did not address the American and Israeli attacks on Iran. NBC News ↗

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian set three conditions for ending the war: recognition of Tehran's legitimate rights, payment of war reparations, and firm international guarantees against future aggression. The speaker of Iran's parliament warned that any ground invasion would force Iran to "abandon all restraint." Al Jazeera ↗

Meanwhile, Trump privately expressed interest in deploying American ground forces in Iran. Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz told NBC that the campaign would last "at least several weeks." NBC News ↗

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS DEEPENS

According to Iran's UN representative Amir Saeid Iravani, at least 1,348 Iranian civilians have been killed since the start of the war, with more than 17,000 injured. UNICEF reports that more than 1,100 children are among the victims. In Lebanon, more than 640 people have been killed and 800,000 displaced. In the first week of the war in Lebanon, an average of 10 children died per day. Al Jazeera ↗

The internet blackout in Iran has now lasted continuously for 13 days (over 290 hours) — the second-longest internet outage in the country's history. UNESCO has verified damage to four Iranian cultural sites listed as World Heritage sites: Golestan Palace, Chehel Sotoun Palace, the Jameh Mosque, and the Khorramabad Valley. NBC News ↗

OIL AND ENERGY CRISIS

The IEA described the situation as "the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market," with an expected drop in supply of 8 million barrels per day. The price of oil exceeded $100 per barrel. Trump commented on the rising prices, saying: "When oil prices go up, we make a lot of money." Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the US Navy is not yet ready to escort ships through Hormuz — that could realistically happen only by the end of March. NBC News ↗

Ukrainian President Zelensky announced the deployment of three teams of military experts to the Middle East to cooperate on anti-drone defense. NBC News ↗