4 more U.S. deaths, vague threat from Trump as Iran war nears 2-week mark

Iran's president and foreign minister were among the senior officials who joined thousands of people marching through downtown Tehran on Friday, showing defiance as U.S.-Israeli airstrikes continued, sending up plumes of smoke not far from a crowd according to videos posted online.

Iran marks "Quds [Jerusalem] Day" on the final Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in solidarity with Palestinians, and that was the occasion for the large rally in Tehran, but the top officials showing up was a clear signal to the U.S. and Israel that their ongoing strikes had not dislodged the nearly 50-year-old theocracy that rules Iran.

New Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was not seen during the rally, and there have been rumors this week that he may have been seriously wounded — possibly even left in a coma — in the same strike that killed his father and predecessor on Feb. 28, but it would be very unusual for Iran's supreme leader to attend a public street rally.

"Today is Quds Day in Iran, and despite the brutal attacks carried out today by the Zionist regime and the United States, we are witnessing a massive turnout — millions of people — not just in Tehran, but across all cities," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a video posted online, which showed him walking amidst flag-waving Iranians. "This demonstrates the firm resolve of the Iranian people in support of the Islamic Republic, the cause of Jerusalem, Palestine, and all the principles we have upheld over the years that have brought us to this point. God willing, we will continue with the same strength and power, and we will compel our enemies to acknowledge the strength of the Iranian people."

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks with a journalist from the Turkish news agency Anadolu during a "Quds Day" march in Tehran, Iran, March 13, 2026. 

President Masoud Pezeshkian was also seen in videos walking through Tehran with other rally attendees, while another clip showed the head of Iran's powerful Judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, leading a prayer.

Four of six crew members were killed in the crash Thursday of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft in western Iraq, U.S. Central Command said Friday, adding that rescue efforts were ongoing for the other two.

"The circumstances of the incident are under investigation," CENTCOM said. "However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.

"The identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified."

A second Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker was damaged but landed safely in Tel Aviv, officials told CBS News. Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said a KC-135 tanker declared an emergency before landing in Tel Aviv Thursday evening.

U.S. officials have told CBS News they believe the incident may have involved a mid-air collision, but they were still investigating.

Saudi Arabia said it had downed nearly 50 drones sent in multiple waves throughout the early morning hours on Friday, including one that had targeted the diplomatic quarter in the capital Riyadh, which houses foreign embassies, the defense ministry said Friday.

The "hostile drone" was downed "during an attempt to approach the Diplomatic Quarter,", the ministry posted on X.

In Oman, two people were killed when drones crashed into an industrial area in the region of Sohar, the Oman News Agency reported.

Sirens also sounded in Bahrain warning of incoming fire, and in Dubai black smoke billowed from an industrial area after a blaze authorities said was sparked by debris from an interception.

CBS/AP

President Trump issued a vague new threat to Iran's leaders early Friday, as he also took a swipe at The New York Times.

Mr. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the U.S. was "totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise, yet, if you read the Failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think that we are not winning. Iran's Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth. We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time - Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. They've been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!"

Turkey's Ministry of Defense said in a statement Friday morning that NATO air and missile defense systems deployed in the eastern Mediterranean had neutralized a ballistic missile fired from Iran that had entered Turkish air space.

"All necessary measures are being taken resolutely and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country's territory and airspace, and discussions are being held with the relevant country to clarify all aspects of the incident," Turkey's ministry of defense said.

At least two previous Iranian missile launches targeting Turkey were also intercepted by NATO defenses since the war in Iran began.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the country's military, warned Friday that any new protests against authorities would be met with a stronger response than in January, when several thousand people were killed.

"The evil enemy, failing to achieve its field battle goals, is once again pursuing the instillation of fear and street riots," the Guards said in a statement broadcast on TV, promising "a stronger blow than on January 8" in the event of new unrest.

The warning comes two weeks into Iran's war with the United States and Israel in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says one of the aims is to "create, for the Iranian people, the conditions to bring down" the Iranian government.

President Trump has also called for Iranians to rise up and overthrow their government.

In December, protests against the high cost of living in Iran turned into a broad protest movement against authorities.

They peaked on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9 with what Iranian authorities called "riots" blamed on "terrorists" working on behalf of Israel and the United States.

The official death toll from Iranian authorities stands at more than 3,000, with the government saying the vast majority were members of security forces or passers-by.

Mr. Trump said last month that 32,000 people were killed, a far higher death toll than had previously been reported.

Two sources, including one inside Iran, told CBS News at least 12,000, and possibly as many as 20,000 people were killed throughout Iran in the protests.  

CBS/AFP