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WORLD TURKISH NEWS Latest Developments: According to a statement from the Pentagon, approximately 140 US soldiers have been wounded so far in the war with Iran, 8 of them in critical condition. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be the most intense day of US attacks inside Iran to date. The Islamic Republic, with dwindling firepower, vowed to continue the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the aim of the war was the overthrow of the Iranian government by the people and that "we are breaking their bones." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US President Donald Trump was "not making anything up" while offering various justifications for starting the war. Following signals from Trump about how long the war might last, which caused sharp fluctuations in financial and fuel markets, the US stock market and oil prices remained relatively stable on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has for the first time released the number of wounded American soldiers, reporting that approximately 140 US soldiers were injured, 8 of whom are in critical condition. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf rejected any suggestions for a ceasefire, while another senior Iranian security official, Ali Larijani, warned Trump in an article he wrote for X: "Iran is not afraid of your empty threats. Even those bigger than you couldn't destroy Iran. Be careful not to destroy yourselves." RELATED NEWS: Anthropic sues Trump administration to have 'supply chain risk' definition repealed Here are the latest developments: The White House says Trump "didn't make anything up." Leavitt was asked about Trump's contradictory statements regarding Iran attacking the US first, but offering different timelines for when this would happen. Leavitt said Trump's statements were "something the president feels based on facts." When asked why other US leaders or Israeli leaders haven't made similar claims and whether Trump is "making these up" to justify war, Leavitt responded, "The president isn't making anything up." The White House clarified that the US Navy is not escorting an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. Leavit said the energy secretary's claim that the US Navy was assisting an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was false. "I can confirm that the US Navy is not currently escorting any tankers or ships, but of course that's an option," Leavitt told reporters at a press conference. Leavit said he hadn't had the opportunity to discuss the misleading information sharing that sparked outrage in energy markets with the energy secretary. However, he added that "the sharing was removed fairly quickly." The possibility of military escort could facilitate the passage of important oil and gas shipments through the strait, which could help alleviate price pressure created by the US-Israel war with Iran. According to a Pentagon statement, approximately 140 US soldiers were injured in the war with Iran, eight of whom are in critical condition; 108 have returned to duty. The Pentagon announced that approximately 140 US soldiers were injured in the conflict with Iran. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in an email statement, "The vast majority of these injuries were minor, and 108 soldiers have already returned to duty." Parnell added that eight soldiers are currently "critically injured." These figures are the first indication of a broader toll of US troops injured following Iranian retaliatory rocket and drone attacks; seven soldiers also died in these attacks in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Residents of Tehran report experiencing some of the most intense airstrikes of the war. Widespread strikes reportedly caused power outages in many western neighborhoods. A resident in the western part of the capital said his neighborhood shook for half an hour around midnight due to the strikes. Another resident said he didn't think he would survive the night. A 27-year-old mother with a young child said she witnessed a residential building being hit. She and others contacted by the Associated Press spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation. Iranian media reported that civilians were the main victims of the night's attacks. AP has not been able to independently verify these claims. Tuesday, Tehran streets were less crowded, and many private businesses closed their offices earlier in fear of further strikes. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be the most intense day of U.S. airstrikes inside Iran to date. — Jon Gambrell The UN Security Council discussed the conflict in Lebanon...