US President Donald Trump attended the solemn return of six American soldiers killed in the escalating conflict with Iran, as tensions in the region continued to intensify.
The flag-draped remains arrived on Saturday at Dover Air Force Base, where US service members who die overseas are traditionally brought back to American soil. Wearing a white “USA” baseball cap and accompanied by senior cabinet officials, Trump saluted as each transfer case was carried from a military transport plane.
The troops were killed last Sunday after a drone strike hit a key US command centre in Kuwait. The attack came just a day after the United States and Israel launched a sweeping military campaign against Iran, a move that has sharply escalated hostilities across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, tensions also flared between Tehran and Azerbaijan. Iran’s military urged the neighbouring country to “expel the Zionists” from its territory, warning that their presence could threaten regional stability.
A military spokesman in Tehran said Azerbaijan, as a Muslim nation, should remove Israeli influence to prevent the spread of insecurity and protect both its citizens and Iran.
Israel remains one of Azerbaijan’s closest partners and a major supplier of weapons to the country. Tehran has long accused Israel of using Azerbaijani territory to carry out intelligence operations targeting Iran.
The warning came after Azerbaijan claimed on Friday that it had thwarted several planned Iranian attacks on its territory. According to officials in Baku, the plots targeted a major oil pipeline, a synagogue and Jewish community leaders.
Iran has not publicly responded to those accusations.
On Thursday, at least four drones crashed in Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhchivan, including one that struck an airport. Authorities in Baku blamed Tehran for the incident, while Iran denied responsibility and instead accused Israel of staging a provocation.
The incidents underscore the widening regional fallout from the growing confrontation between the United States, Israel and Iran.
