Iran war day 14: Suppressive patrols triple as regime faces domestic anger and international strikes

2026-03-13 - 21:23

Today, March 13, 2026, marks the 14th day of the devastating conflict between the Iranian regime, Israel, and the United States. With the newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei voicing fears of an explosive public uprising, the regime is turning its focus inward to violently suppress potential domestic unrest, even as the regional and global fallout of the war continues to widen. Roundup of key events The Iranian regime has tripled its repressive street patrols and threatened severe crackdowns on any protests. A regime parliament member claims new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has survived two attacks, while US President Donald Trump states he is likely injured. Six US crew members died in a refueling plane crash in western Iraq, bringing the US military death toll in the conflict to 13. A French soldier was killed in a drone attack in Erbil, Iraq. An IRGC commander and Hezbollah missile unit official was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Oman intercepted multiple regime drones and missiles, with two foreign nationals killed from falling debris in Oman. The US eased sanctions on Russian oil at sea to stabilize global energy markets amid the Strait of Hormuz closure. Regime triples street patrols and threatens protesters Fearing domestic unrest, the Iranian regime has tripled its suppressive street patrols. The regime’s state-run IRNA news agency reported on Friday, March 13, that security and law enforcement preparations are expanding with new checkpoints and triple the number of street patrols to guarantee “sustainable security.” Concurrently, the IRGC Intelligence Organization issued a threatening statement, claiming the “evil enemy” is seeking to create street riots. Referencing the January protests, the IRGC warned that any street protests would be met with “a blow harder than January 8,” referring to the bloodiest day of the uprising, where regime forces carried out a brutal massacre of civilians across Iran. They described previous protesters as “neo-ISIS” and called on IRGC and Basij forces to maintain a constant presence on the streets. Commenting on this violent repression, US President Donald Trump told Fox News Radio that regime change in Iran will eventually happen but might take time because security forces “literally have people in the streets with machine guns, machine-gunning people down.” Trump also posted on Truth Social that the US is destroying the Iranian regime militarily and economically, stating that the regime’s navy and air force have been decimated and its leaders “wiped from the face of the earth.” New supreme leader survives two assassination attempts Mohammadreza Rezaei Kochi, a regime parliament member, stated that the newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has survived two attacks. According to IRNA, Kochi claimed Mojtaba was with his father during the initial strike on the leader’s compound but escaped. A subsequent attack reportedly targeted a hospital where Mojtaba was staying, though Kochi provided no details on the exact location. US President Donald Trump noted in an interview that the new leader was likely damaged or injured in the strikes but is probably alive. Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen or heard in public since his appointment. US and French military casualties in Iraq The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that all six crew members of a US KC-135 refueling aircraft died after it crashed in western Iraq on Thursday. While CENTCOM stated the crash occurred over friendly airspace and was not caused by hostile fire, the regime’s military claimed on state TV that an allied militia shot it down. The crash brings the official US military death toll in the current conflict to 13. In northern Iraq, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a French soldier, Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion, was killed in a drone attack targeting Erbil. Six other French soldiers were wounded in the attack. IRGC commander killed in Beirut strike An Israeli airstrike in Beirut has killed Abuzar Mohammadi, an IRGC commander and official in Hezbollah’s missile unit. According to Al Arabiya, citing the Israeli military, Mohammadi served as a key link between senior Iranian regime commanders and the Hezbollah militant group. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Oman intercept regime missiles and drones The regime’s regional attacks continued unabated. Turkey’s Defense Ministry announced on Friday that NATO missile defense systems intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile over the eastern Mediterranean. This marks the third such interception by Turkey in over a week. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry reported intercepting multiple waves of drones entering its airspace, destroying at least 28 drones (in separate batches of 12, 9, and 7), many of which were targeting the Shaybah oil field. In Oman, the interception of two drones resulted in the deaths of two foreign nationals and several injuries when one drone crashed in the Al Ohi industrial area in Sohar. Regional shipping and energy markets impacted The regime’s continued blockading of the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted global shipping. Turkey’s Transport Minister reported that only one out of 15 Turkish ships waiting in the region was allowed to pass with the Iranian regime’s permission, while authorities negotiate for the remaining 14 ships. To ease the energy supply crunch caused by the war, the US Treasury Department announced a loosening of sanctions on Russian oil and petroleum already at sea. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it a “short-term measure,” though oil prices remained around $100 a barrel on Friday. The move faced criticism from European and Canadian leaders, who argued it benefits Putin’s regime. The UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, accused the Iranian regime and Russia of trying to “hijack the global economy.”