Death toll in Iran rises to 555 as US and Israel intensify military actions.
In recent weeks, Iran has found itself at the epicenter of escalating tensions following intense military confrontations involving the United States and Israel. The surge in violence has tragically resulted in mounting civilian casualties as airstrikes target various regions, highlighting the fragility of stability in the Middle East. Amidst this turmoil, the Iranian government asserts its commitment to a peaceful nuclear program, reframing the narrative around its military actions and emphasizing the need for defensive measures rather than aggression.
At least 555 individuals have lost their lives due to US-Israeli strikes across 131 locations in Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, amid an ongoing wave of intensive military actions and Iranian counterstrikes against Israel and US assets in the region.
Reports indicate that at least 35 fatalities occurred on Monday morning in Fars province, while more than 20 people were killed in an assault on Niloofar Square in Tehran, as reported by the Mehr news agency. The Fars news agency mentioned that the central city of Sanandaj suffered casualties, where at least two people died as a result of missiles impacting residential structures next to the police station. The Tasnim news agency further reported that US and Israeli forces targeted Sanandaj, employing six missiles in heavily populated neighborhoods.
Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), condemned the US and Israeli air strikes, particularly aimed at Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility. Najafi asserted that the narrative of Iran aiming to develop nuclear weapons is unfounded, insisting that the facility operates for peaceful purposes.
While Israel and the US have yet to confirm the strikes on Natanz, the implications of these attacks continue to unfold. Reports from Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi reveal that the strikes reflect a broader pattern of targeting not only military and political sites but also civilian infrastructure, raising concerns over increasing civilian fatalities.
Verified video footage depicted significant smoke clouds rising high above buildings close to the international airport in Kermanshah, underscoring the severity of the situation. The death toll from an Israeli strike on a girls’ school in Minab has tragically risen to 180, while casualties from an attack on Gandhi Hospital in Tehran have also been reported.
In their response, Israeli military officials indicated an uptick in missile activity from Iran, urging residents to seek shelter. In Beit Shemesh, nine fatalities and eleven missing persons were recorded following an Iranian missile strike.
Iran continues to retaliate against the US’s regional allies, launching strikes on Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Gulf nations have vowed to defend their territories against Iranian threats, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s operations are focused on US assets rather than regional adversaries.
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