Eighteen US service members have now been killed in the conflict with Iran, according to a report by The Guardian, as Donald Trump sought to downplay the ongoing hostilities as "small potatoes for us".

The figure updates the known human cost of the wider fighting, which has also left thousands of Iranians dead and more than 750 American personnel wounded.

Despite the casualties, the White House has continued to argue that ongoing US military actions do not constitute a war. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance said "active combat operations" had concluded months ago. "I wouldn't call it a war," Mr Vance said. "Right now, there is no active shooting. I recognise there have been places where this has flared up." Mr Vance was briefing reporters in place of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down last week.

Mr Trump backed his vice president on Friday, telling reporters he views the situation as a "military conflict" rather than a war. However, the President's own language has varied; earlier on Friday he referred to the situation as a "war" on social media, having also told GB News on Thursday that the "war" was necessary to stop Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Mr Trump also told GB News that the US Space Force has "cameras on Pickaxe Mountain" and is tracking "everybody that walks in and walks out" of the subterranean site, which analysts link to Iran's nuclear programme. He told reporters the US "may hit Pickaxe very soon" if activity there continues.

Alongside the military dispute, Mr Trump threatened in a social media post on Friday to halt trade with nations running trade surpluses against the US unless the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, citing August's strong jobs data as justification.

It remains unclear how such trade bans would be implemented legally, and Washington has given no official operational timetable for any strike on Pickaxe Mountain. I'll be following this one — check back for updates.