US President Donald Trump attended the return Saturday of the bodies of the first six US soldiers killed during the escalating war with Iran.
Trump, wearing a white “USA” baseball cap and accompanied by several Cabinet members, saluted as each flag-draped case was carried from a military transport plane at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where the remains of US troops killed overseas are returned to American soil.
The troops were killed last Sunday when a drone struck a key US command center in Kuwait, a day after the United States and Israel launched a sweeping military campaign against Iran.
Iran’s military called on its neighbour Azerbaijan to “expel the Zionists” from its territory on Saturday in order to preserve its security, a day after Baku accused Tehran of plotting attacks on its territory.
Israel is a close ally of Azerbaijan’s and a key arms supplier, while Tehran has long accused Israel of using Azerbaijani territory for intelligence operations.
“We declare to Iran’s neighbouring country, the Republic of Azerbaijan, as a Muslim country, to expel the Zionists from that country in order to prevent the spread of insecurity in the region and not to endanger the security of its people and Islamic Iran,” a military spokesman said in a statement.
Azerbaijan on Friday said it had foiled a series of planned Iranian terrorist attacks on its territory including on a key oil pipeline, a synagogue and Jewish community leaders.
Iran did not comment on the accusations.
On Thursday at least four drones crashed into Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhchivan, including one that hit an airport, with Baku blaming Tehran.
Tehran denied the allegation and accused Israel of trying to stage a provocation.
AFP
