Photo: The White House

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. Since the start of the military operation against Iran, 158 vessels belonging to the Islamic Republic have been destroyed in strikes, US President Donald Trump said during a speech at an event in Memphis, Tennessee, Trend reports.

According to him, the American strikes caused serious damage to Iran's military-industrial complex and paralyzed the country's navy.

Trump added that the number of Iranian drone and ballistic missile launches had dropped by more than 90 percent.

Since no concrete agreement was reached in negotiations between the United States (US) and Iran over the nuclear program, the US and Israel began military airstrikes against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military facilities located in countries across the region, starting the same day.

On the first day of the air strikes against Iran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking military officials were killed. On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of Experts elected Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s third Supreme Leader by majority vote.

From March 1 through March 5, the confrontation expanded further, affecting several countries across the Middle East.

According to information, the U.S. side suffered losses of 8 dead and more than 140 wounded.

The ongoing conflict has significantly threatened the region’s energy infrastructure and maritime transport. Oil prices have surged on global markets due to heightened security tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting several countries to advise their citizens to leave the region.